


The Hunter

by Cirillafionn



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Law Enforcement, Alternate Universe - No Powers, CIA Danvers sisters, F/F, Lena Luthor femme fatale, Minor Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, Shamelessly inspired by killing Eve so...there's that, SuperCorp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-05-18 02:34:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14843970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cirillafionn/pseuds/Cirillafionn
Summary: CIA Agent Kara Danvers and her partner (and sister) Alex are hunting an assassin who kills without conscience or apparent reason. Their investigation leads Kara to cross paths with a mysterious business woman, Lena Luthor, keeping more secrets than she could possibly guess.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is shamelessly inspired by Killing Eve, (which everyone should go and watch right now) but only to the extent of the core concept - an agent and an assassin being all lusty for one another. There’re no spoilers for or characters from Killing Eve in this work, it’s all Supercorp.  
> 

A cold wind blew on the rooftop of the half-finished apartment complex in the heart of London, and Lena Luthor was grateful for the heavy grey coat she'd chosen that morning. Thankfully the rain had stopped - stakeouts were bad enough in winter without also spending the whole time being damp.  
The door she’d been watching for the past two hours through a gap between the high-rises opened and her target finally appeared.  
She exhaled slowly and pressed her index finger to the trigger of her high-powered sniper rifle. She closed her left eye and located the target through the scope. Humming softly, she waited. The target paused before entering his car, and she fired. Without waiting to see whether the hit had been successful, she leaned the rifle against the the concrete ledge and plucked the single casing from the ground, slipping it into her coat pocket.  
Sirens began to wail in the distance, confirming her kill. She trotted briskly down the stairs of the fire escape and stepped out casually onto the street, her business attire blending in with the mid morning commuters.

Half an hour later Kara Danvers stared down at the dead congressman whose brains appeared to have relocated to the street in a macabre Jackson Pollack.  
"Shit."  
Her partner - and sister - Alex passed her a coffee. "Well, I guess the tip-off was good afterall."  
"Yeah, except we weren't expecting the hit til Grayson's meeting with the PM this afternoon." Kara grumbled, glowering at their British counterpart. "Care to let us in on where the tip actualy came from?"  
Agent Ardeen returned her look calmly. "You know I can't divulge that."  
Kara sighed. "I know. I'm sorry, Imra, you know what I’m like when I haven’t had enough coffee."  
Imra gave her a comiserating grimace. "It's alright. SoCO's just arrived if you're ready for them to take over?"  
Alex held out her laptop, camera pointing to the corpse. "You good Winn?"  
"I have enough to do the scan, go for it." Came Winn’s voice over the tinny speaker.  
"Thanks.” Alex closed the lid and tucked the computer back into her satchel.  
"How about we get some breakfast? Imra suggested brightly, stepping over the outstretched hand of the dead man and under the police tape, holding it up for Kara and Alex. They exchanged glance. "Sure."

Kara's full English breakfast at a greasy spoon near the crime scene was interrupted by a call from Winn a short time later. "What've you got?" She asked, wiping yolk from her lips with a paper napkin.  
"The trajectory of the bullet indicates the shot came from about a block away - I'll send you the address of the building it matches with.”  
"You're the best Winn, I owe you one." She ended the call and read the address he had texted through. "Imra, can you take us to the Parkview apartments?"  
"Of course." The three agents settled their bill and Imra led the way briskly to a tall building still under construction. The temporary wooden door pushed aside easily and they stepped carefully over the threshold.  
"Any CCTV around here?" Alex asked, scanning the street behind them.  
"Of course, I’ll have it pulled.” Imra replied.  
They took the elevator to the top floor, then the service stairs to the roof. Immediately all three noticed the rifle propped casually against the low parapet.  
"Bold move leaving the murder weapon here," said Alex, while Imra called their discovery in to the MI6 office.  
"Unless they know it's untraceable," Kara mused. "And anyway - imagine trying to dispose of an Assault rifle in Britain? It's not like the US where you could sell it on Craigslist."  
Alex knelt down beside the gun, careful not to touch it. "Is that...foundation on the chin rest?"  
Kara joined her, nose inches from the fine dusting. "Sure looks like it," she sniffed. "Smell that?" She leaned away so Alex could move closer.  
"Perfume?"  
With a furtive glance at Imra whose back was to them Alex took a swab of the powder and slipped it into a bag in her coat while Kara covered her.  
You couldn't trust other agencies implicitly afterall.

Lena clipped through Heathrow wheeling her carry-on luggage, then entered a restroom seemingly at random; disregarding the 'closed for cleaning' sign.  
In front of the mirror she took the opportunity to fix her makeup, while a cleaner worked the floor with a mop behind her.  
"Closed for cleaning." The cleaner said sharply.  
"I'll just be a moment." Lena reassured with a smile. "My flight leaves at two-fifteen."  
The cleaner nodded slightly, then said, "You can use the third stall then."  
"Thank you." Lena entered the cubicle and closed the door. She opened the lid of the sanitary bin where a ticket and passport sat on top of the rubbish. Distastefully she fished them out and tucked them into her bag, then flushed the toilet.  
"Thanks again," she smiled at the cleaner, then made her way to the departure gate for National City. It was good to be going home. 

Alex tapped rapidly on her laptop keyboard while Kara devoured a sausage roll in the departure lounge.  
"I'm gonna miss these," she said around a mouthful, spraying crumbs all over the carpet.  
Alex brushed flaky pastry from her keyboard. "I've never met anyone who actually likes English food."  
"What can I say? I have a refined palate."  
“Speaking of, want to have dinner with Maggie and me when we get back?"  
Kara wrinkled her nose. "I’m supposed to be spending the night at home."  
Alex placed a comiseratory hand on her sister's shoulder. "Are things any better?"  
Kara twisted the engagement ring on her finger absently. "I don't know," then she added quetly, "Not really."  
"We have a spare room you know, you don't have to stay with him just because you're engaged."  
Kara sighed. "Maybe, but I like I owe it to him - to us - to keep trying."  
Alex gave her shoulder a light shake. "You said that last time!"  
Kara shrugged her off with a self deprecating grin. "I know! But not all of us can have the perfect relationship like you and Maggie.”  
"Why not?" Alex countered.  
"Because..." Kara was saved from having to answer by the boarding announcement.  
They spent most of the overnight flight preparing their report for the following day, then Alex downed a couple of glasses of bourbon and napped while Kara listlessly flicked through the in-flight magazine. She eventually gave up on it and stood to walk around the business class cabin in order to stretch her legs, offering a perfunctory smile to another passenger doing the same.  
She ran into the woman again in line for the bathroom and they leaned opposite one another on either side of the cubicle door. The woman had long dark hair sitting loose around her shoulders and pale skin which almost glowed in the dim light. She wore an expensive looking loose white blouse over dark capris and slip-on canvas shoes - the culmination of which was effortlessly stylish. Something in her expression made Kara want to strike up a conversation, but she wasn't sure what to say.  
"How long left, do you know?" The woman asked in a soft deep voice with an American accent.  
Kara checked her watch. "About three hours I think."  
"Thanks." She paused, then added, "Maybe this person'll be done in the restroom by then."  
Kara let out a loud burst of laughter. "I hope so."  
They were silent for another minute.  
"H-how did you enjoy London?" Kara asked eventually.  
The woman pulled a face. "I was there for work unfortunately, I spent most of it in the hotel."  
"What do you do?"  
"I'm in business," she replied airily, "stocks, bonds...you know." She then extended her hand. "Lena."  
Kara shook it firmly, cringing at the sudden sweat which had sprung up on her palm. "Kara."  
A member of the cabin crew approached them. "This cubicle is actually free - the alert light is stuck at the moment,” he pushed open the door. "You can go in."  
Kara and Lena shared a sheepish smile and Kara gestured for Lena to go first.  
A short time later she emerged and brushed Kara's arm as she passed, murmuring, “Have a nice flight,” before disappearing behind the curtian to the cabin.  
Kara washed up, then returned to her seat and tried to get some sleep. She couldn't help replaying that short interaction with Lena in her mind, and inexplicably spent a great deal of time imagining scenarios in which they'd had longer to talk. 

The remainder of the flight passed without incident. Lena considered finding the attractive woman she’d met earlier - she had compulsively swiped her boarding pass so she knew which seat this 'Kara Danvers' was in after all - but decided against it in the end. Chatting someone up after a hit would make her memorable, And Lillian certainly wouldn't approve of that.  
She allowed herself the luxury of flashing Kara one last smile as they disembarked, and was satisfied by the fervour with which it was returned.  
"Who was that?" She heard Kara’s companion ask as she walked by.  
"Just someone I talked to while waiting for the bathroom," Kara replied, pulling their bags from the overhead.  
"She's hot." The other woman commented appreciatively.  
Lena resisted the urge to acknowledge she'd over-heard and stepped off the plane.  
An hour-long taxi ride later she fell back onto her bed with a satisfied sigh.  
"Clean job," A woman’s voice said approvingly from the corner of her room. "You'll be receiving your usual bonus."  
Lena turned to regard her impromptu guest who appeared to be admiring the view from the window behind her, an ivory handled cane resting on the sill. "Nice to see you Psi, how's the leg?"  
A flash of irritation across her elegant features gave Lena a squirm of satisfaction.  
"It's healing," She replied coldly, "I hope shooting me was worth the loss of privileges."  
"Of course it wasn’t!” Lena exclaimed, voice heavy with sarcasm. “I was very upset to have to shoot such a dear friend.”  
Psi raised an eyebrow, but did not acknowledge the jibe further. “New job.” She threw a Manila folder onto the bed beside Lena’s head. “This one they want to look like an accident, so you’ve got a week to prepare.”  
Lena held off from opening the dossier, smiling fondly at Psi. “Anything else? I’d like to have a shower, would you like to stay and wash my back?” She put on a sympathetic face. “Or can your cane not get wet?”  
Psi gave her a steady look, then stood and limped towards the door.  
"Have a nice evening, Gayle!" Lena called after her, unleashing a slow smile as the woman stiffened. It had taken the better part of three months to uncover her handler's real name.  
When the front door closed, she flipped open the folder and inspected the contents. An A4 photo of a middleaged woman she thought she recognised, a couple of shots of the house and office, and the target's usual itinerary - likely lifted from her online calendar by some enterprising hacker. The resources of her employers knew no bounds.  
She rolled off the bed and tacked the photo to a full length mirror in the walk-in robe. It was time to start planning.

The debriefing was as exhausting as Kara had anticipated and it wasn't until well into the evening that she was unlocking the door to the flat she shared with her fiancé, eyes on the verge of closing.  
A tantalising smell filled her nostrils, and Mon El greeted her with smile and and peck on the cheek, he was wearing an apron over work clothes from the bar he managed.  
"Dinner's nearly ready!" He said over one shoulder on his way back to the stove.  
Kara groaned appreciatively and staggered to the bedroom. "You're the best..." she muttered, kicking off her shoes and collapsing face first onto the comforter.  
By the time Mon El had finished cooking she was fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Investigations continue, and Kara runs into the intriguing woman from the plane once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out the percolating time I needed for this chapter wasn’t that long, so here ya go.

Kara scanned the last of the CCTV footage MI6 had sent over in the spirit of cooperation (albeit five days later) for signs of the assassin.  
She frowned at grainy footage from a traffic camera down the street which appeared to show someone leaving the empty building, from which the shot had been taken. "Hey Alex?"   
"Mmm?"   
"I think I found something."   
Alex rolled her chair over the Kara's desk while Kara cued up the video she’d found so far.  
"The congressman was klled at 09:40 right? Well - "  
She pulled up the first view of the entrance to the building, where a figure in a long pale coat casually pushed aside the temporary door and joined the commuters on the street.  
Kara played another video from a camera on the corner and paused when the suspected shooter was passing.  
Alex squinted at the black and white still. "Tall, slim, Caucasian, and female I'd say."  
Large dark glasses and a cap obscured much of the face but Kara was in agreement. "I couldn't find any active female assassins in the database though, and this doesn't smell like a first time job."  
Alex wheeled back to her desk and grabbed her laptop. "I've been looking into motive: aside from being staunchly big business there's nothing to indicate the congressman could have caught the ire of some foreign power, even the Russians didn't mind him."  
Kara sighed. She had the feeling this was going to be one of those cases which gave nothing but dead ends until more bodies hit the floor.  
The head of the National City field office poked his head out of his office. "You two. In here."  
The Danvers's exchanged shrugs and complied.  
Hank Henshaw leaned against his desk with his arms crossed. "You're across the mayoral race I assume?"   
Kara nodded. It was her job to know what was happening in her city.   
"Good. Given the...political climate and the death of the congressman, the Director wants agents at the fundraiser tonight."  
It made sense, a number of high profile people would be attending.   
"Are we to be armed?" Alex asked.   
"Of course - " Hank raised a finger before Alex could reply, " - but you're not to ruffle any feathers. Blend in. Keep a low profile."   
"Of course." Kara replied.  
"I'm hurt you think we wouldn't keep a low profile." Alex added with mock outrage.  
Hank quirked an eyebrow with an amused expression. "I'm shocked you think I wouldn't remind you after the last undercover you did."  
Alex had the good grace to look bashful, she'd turned a surveillance tail into a highspeed chase down the Interstate.   
Hank’s desk phone rang and he waved a hand. "Dismissed."  
The sisters returned to their desks.   
"D'you think we’ll be done early? It's supposed to be date night tonight." Kara asked, swinging her satchel over one shoulder.  
Alex pulled a face. "That's new."  
"Yeah...Mon El thought it might be good to...reconnect." Kara replied, embarrassed.  
"Just make sure to talk to me before you decide to have a baby, okay?" 

Kara eyed herself appraisingly in the mirror. She had to admit, it was nice to dress up sometimes. She'd piled her hair up in a messy bun and decided upon the blue dress she'd worn to Alex and Maggie's wedding, which was flattering without revealing too much - and hid the holster around her thigh nicely. She applied a light smattering of make-up around her glasses and was checking her pistol when Mon El appeared in the doorway to the bedroom.   
"Thanks for the text," He said said dryly.  
Kara grimaced. "Sorry! It's a work thing. Do you want to do something tomorrow?"  
"It's fine." He replied shortly, before turning and walking away.  
She heard the television being switched on, and the sound of a sports broadcast echoed loudly aorund the apartment.  
"Crap." she cursed softly.  
Mn El didn't even turn his head when she opened the front door, so Kara left wordlessly.  
The walk to Maggie and Alex’s building in the brisk evening air soothed her somewhat, and she was able to greet Maggie with a wide smile when she answered the door, they embraced warmly.   
"You look amzing!" Maggie exclaimed when Kara removed her jacket.   
Despite herself the praise lifted her mood even further. She accepted a large glass of wine gratefully.  
Maggie cocked her ear. "Sounds like Alex’s just out of the shower so we may as well get comfortable."  
"I'm glad some things don't change," Kara laughed, and joined Maggie on the sofa. "How's the NCPD?" She asked, taking a sip of wine.  
"The usual, I passed my sergeant’s exam so I just need someone to retire or die and I'll be sweet." Maggie replied with a shrug. "How's Mon El?"  
Keeping her expression neutral, Kara answered, "He’s going well. Got a promotion to bar manager...”  
They chatted amiably for twenty minutes until Alex emerged from the bedroom in a black cocktail dress, combing her short hair with her fingers. "Let's roll."  
Maggie drove, and dropped them outside the city hall, which was lit up with spotlights and press snapping pictures of the socialites filing inside.   
Kara and Alex strode through the entrance without stopping.   
Once inside Alex plucked a flute of champ from a tray. "What?" She asked in response to Kara’s raised eyebrow. "Hank said to blend in."  
Kara conceded the point with a slight nod and took one too. 

Lena paused for a few photos from the press outside City Hall, flashing a perfunctory smile for the press.   
"What's your name?" One of the reporters called, she waved vaguely and continued inside.   
Immediately her eyes found the target, two security guards positioned nearby.   
She polished off one champagne and held onto the other while smiling and nodding to various people she didn’t know. Many returned waves, if a little uncertainly.   
A familiar figure stood out, leaning on a table laughing with a woman with short brown hair.   
"Huh." Lena murmured. Kara caught her eye, and after a momentary frown as she placed Lena's face, she grinned broadly.  
Lena smiled, then mimed a noose around her throat which prompted a laugh. Kara’s friend turned curiously and Lena promptly disappeared through the crowd. 

"Who was that?" Alex asked with a frown, turning to follow Kara's gaze.  
"The Woman from the plane the other day - Lena I think."  
"You think?" Alex smirked.   
"What?" Kara demanded, cursing the blush beginning to heat her cheeks.  
"Nothing." Alex sipped her champagne. "I just think it's interesting you remember one woman from a week ago."  
"Jesus Alex, not everyone is gay!" Kara exclaimed. "I'm getting a real drink." She stalked off in the direction of the bar and away form Alex's smug grin. 

Lena found a position by the wall where she could surreptitiously watch the target, who appeared to be shadowed by two male security guards at all times. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, a plan beginning to formulate.   
Her attention was caught by the blonde woman, Kara, walking by to join the queue at the bar.   
Lena tapped her chn with a cocktail stirrer, glanced back at the target, then moved swiftly towards the bar as well. She needed to wait for the opportune moment to strike, she told herself, and anyway - she wasn’t blending in by standing alone.

"Scotch on the rocks please." Kara ordered from the bar tender.  
"Make that two." A voice added beside her.  
She turned, recognizing the voice. Her chest felt inexplicably tight. "Lena, right?"  
"Kara," Lena smiled.  
It was a very nice smile.   
"How’re...How're things?" Kara tried, uncharacteristically to tongue-tied.  
“Oh you know,” Lena replied, running her fingers through her long dark hair. “Work, work, work!”  
“I do.” Kara laughed. “What brings you to this...thing?”   
“Work actually, how about you?”  
“Oh. Work too.”  
Lena lifted her tumbler of whiskey and took a small sip. “I forgot to ask what you did.”  
“I’m actually...” Kara paused before revealing herself. She was supposed to be laying low. “Private security contractor.”  
Lena ran her eyes over Kara’s bare upper arms appreciatively, causing Kara’s pulse to thunder in her throat. “That makes sense.”  
Kara swirled her drink. “Are you here on behalf of your company?”   
A faint frown crossed Lena’s smooth forehead so quickly Kara thought she’d imagined it. “Mm.” She swallowed a mouthful of Scotch. “Phillip Manning.”  
“The tobacco company?” Kara laughed uncertainty.   
“What?” Lena demanded with a smile.  
“I guess I didn’t pick you for one of those evil lobbyists.”  
“Well, I have to do something with my MBA.” Her attention then slipped past Kara. “If you’ll excuse me, I see someone I’m supposed to schmooze.”  
“Oh. Sure.” Kara tried not to let her disappointment show. “Maybe I’ll run into you in another week!” She joked awkwardly.  
Lena opened her clutch and pulled out a pen. “Let’s not leave it to fate this time.” She removed the napkin from under her glass. “What’s your number?”  
Kars gave it with only a slight hesitation.   
Lena tucked the napkin away and kissed the air inches above Kara’s cheek.  
“Enjoy your evening Kara, she murmured, and strode away. Kara watched her, cheeks glowing, then gave herself a shake and returned to Alex.

Lena followed the target into the women’s restroom. The two security personnel waited on either side of the door, but after a moment’s hesitation they let her pass.   
Only one cubicle was taken. Lena slowly touched up her makeup in the mirror while the target performed her ablutions. The toilet flushed as she carefully applied mascara.   
The target offered a closed-mouth smile in response to Lena’s soft “hi.”  
The older woman placed a drink on the counter beside a basin and squirted soap into her hand.  
When her hands were washed free of soap Lena made her move.   
“Say, I think the clasp on my dress is undone, could you...?”  
“Sure. I’ll just - “ the target gestured towards the towel dispenser and quickly dried her hands.  
Lena turned and lifted her hair with one hand while The target recoupled her dress. “There you go.”  
“Thanks do much.”  
“You’re welcome.” The target smiled and turned to leave.  
“Oh - you forgot your drink!” Lena picked it up from beside the basin and handed it to her.  
“I’m forever doing that,” the target laughed. “Thank you.”  
Lena disposed of the cocktail stirrer she’d switched in the napkin bin, counted to fifty and left the bathroom. With one final scan for Kara she slipped from City Hall, shrugging on her coat.

Kara returned to Alex, who had finished two more drinks in the time she'd been away, and was being spoken to by a tall middle-aged man. She wore a decidedly hostile expression, but he didn't seem to have noticed.   
Kara slipped an arm around Alex’s waist. "There you are, darling, Mrs Cobb was just asking after - " she gave the man a cold stare until he awkwardly excused himself.  
"Thanks for the assist, but your British accent is lousy." Alex teased, poking her sister in the ribs.   
Kara drew herself up haughtily. "Next time I'll leave you to it then."  
"Well anyway, see that guy up on the second level behind me?"  
Kara held her drink to her lips and surreptitiously glanced behind Alex’s head. "Dark hair, moustache?"  
"He's been standing there, alone, with no drinks for a really long time."  
"Selfie!" Kara called loudly, angling the camera so Alex and Kara were in the foregound and the man was captured behind. She texted the image to Winn for an ID.  
Under their surreptitious surveillance the man watched the crowd below, but didn't make any overt moves. Eventually he disappeared out the exit.  
The party then wound up without further incident. Kara had reached the level of tipsy where she could either go to bed now, or kick on until 4am.   
As if intuiting her thoughts, Alex offered, "want to come back to my place? We could open that bourbon you got me for Christmas.”  
If she was honest with herself, Kara was happy to put off returning home to Mon El’s cold silence for as long as possible. "Sure."  
They filed out with the last of the guests, Alex called the office to check in and report the ‘all clear’, then they caught a cab back to Alex’s building.   
"Maggie won't mind?'  
"She's out with the boys. She's probably in a worse state than we are." Alex replied with an affectionate smile as they entered the apartment.  
She poured two glasses of spirit and passed one to Kara, who kicked off her heels with a satisfied grunt and propped her stockinged feet on the coffee table so she could slouch comfortably on the sofa.  
Alex curled up on the armchair to her right.  
"You were at the bar a long time," she commented after a minute.  
Kara's stomach flipped inexplicably. "I ran into Lena.”  
"Oh?"  
"I...gave her my number."   
Alex grinned openly.   
"It's not like it's anything sordid," Kara tried to stay nonchalant.  
"So you told her you're engaged?" Alex then laughed triumphantly in the face of her silence.  
Kara sullenly crossed her arms. "Why're you so intent on making this weird?"  
"Youre the one being weird about it," Alex retorted, "You've spent what - ten minutes with this lady and you're handing over your number!"  
"You don't understand. You know sometimes you feel...an affinity with someone? Like you just know you're meant to be friends?"  
Alex relented with an empathetic smile. "I know what you mean, but in my experience? It's a sexual attraction thing.”  
Several hours - and a bottle of bourbon later - Kara had accepted the offer to stay in Alex and Maggie's spare room and sprawled on the bed in one of Maggie's NCPD shirts, with a one foot on the floor in an effort to stop the ceiling from spinning alarmingly.   
The brief conversation with Lena played on a fuzzy loop in her mind. "Women can be friends," she muttered, then slipped into unconsciousness.

The target thanked the bodyguard who opened her front door for her with a smile, and waved them away for the night.  
Her stomach cramped painfully but she could make it to her bathroom, she told herself, gritting her teeth.  
By the time she made it to the staircase leading to the bedroom and ensuite she was hobbling, palms pressed against her stomach.   
“Clint!” She called desperately. Crawling up the stairs one at a time. She groaned in agony and called for her husband one last time, before collapsing on the third step. She wouldn’t be found until morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara is conflicted by the attraction she feels for Lena, and the investigation continues into the string of assassinations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things're a bit more heated this chapter, thanks for reading!

Ch 3

Kara awoke bleary eyed and dry mouthed to the sound of knocking in an unfamiliar room.  
"I'm up!" she called, and the bedroom door opened.  
There was a sallow tinge to Alex's skin and dark rings circled her eyes. "We gotta go in. Sadie Fink is dead."  
An hour later Alex and Kara, in a borrowed pair of Alex's business pants and loose blouse, walked onto the crime scene.  
"You look terrible." Maggie grinned, she looked merely tired after staying out well past when the sisters had retired.  
"Thanks" Alex replied dryly.  
"This is Vasquez - the crime scene examiner." Maggie gestured to a woman in full forensic kit, who removed her rubber gloves to shake their hands.  
What've we got?"  
Vasqez shook her head "I don't know yet. Could be a heart attack, maybe anaphylaxis, we'll have to wait til I crack her open at the morgue.”  
"Any chance of that happening today?" Kara smiled hopefully.  
"Only because you asked so nicely." Vasquez grinned back.  
They moved through the large house to the body. A woman in her 60's lay at the base of the stairs.  
"Apparently the husband moved her - based on the rigor I'd say she died on the stairs themselves." Vasquez added.  
"She left before us last night." Alex muttered. "Time of death?"  
"Around 1am."  
"This can't be coincidence." Kara mused. "Let us know if you find anything." They left the NCPD to their business and straipsed back out to the street.  
"I'll see you later." Maggie said as she pecked Alex's cheek.  
Alex drove to the field office - via a fast food chain for a greasy breakfast - where Winn was already waiting, practically bouncing with excitement.  
"Did you get an ID on the guy from last night?" Kara asked around a mouthful of muffin.  
He waved a hand dismissively. "Some FBI guy. I've got something better." He pulled up a report on his oversized computer monitor. "I've finally got the ballistics from the shooting in Lndon. The bullet was a pretty distincitve one luckily, manufactured in the former Soviet Union - they're really expensive but worth the money for these kinds of hits, because of the spin." He opened a picture file containing a close-up of the base of the casing. "See the grooves? they send it spinning like a shuttlecock so the damage is maximised."  
Alex frowned at the distinctive grooves thoughtfully. "Any leads on who would've forked out for these?" "Someone with a lot of money, none of the state agencies on our radar would waste resources on this kind of tech - especially since the shooter scored a head shot anyway."  
"Thanks Winn." Kara was trying not to think of this as another dead end. "I guess we should start looking for a link to Fink."

Lena hit pause on her 80’s pop playlist when she heard the door to her apartment being unlocked. She pulled a switchblade from a drawer, then put it back when Psi limped into view.  
"Good afternoon," Lene greeted brightly.  
"You were supposed to make the job look accidental." Psi responded coldly.  
Lena moved around her to the kitchen and began making a protein shake. "I did. What was I supposed to do? Run her down with my car? Give her melanomas? I did the best I could in the allotted time, and it worked out perfectly."  
Psi hit the tiles forcefully with the tip of her cane. "Then why are the CIA investigating the murder?"  
"I dont know, maybe don't schedule hits on two similar people in the same week?" Lena switched on the blender before Psi could retort.  
the handler bared her teeth in a furious grin, waiting for the noise to subside before responding, “Our employer wishes to remind you that even family...is dispensible."  
Lena made a show of nonchalance despite the pang of anxiety she felt in her chest.  
Psi threw a folder onto the kitchen counter. "Your next assignment." She said curtly and turned to leave.  
"Wait." Lena called after her, cursing the desperation evident in her voice. "Tell Lillian...tell her I won't let her down again."  
Psi nodded in acknowledgment and disappeared into the hall.  
Lena gripped the edge of the counter and exhaled slowly. She opened the dossier on the counter and sifted through the contents with a soft exclamation, "Zut alors..."

It was two weeks before Kara received a call from Lena, it came at a fairly inopportune time while she was eating lunch hunched over her computer in the office.  
"Sorry I didn't call earlier, I was away for a conference."  
"That's okay!" Kara's heart was beating so hard she feared Lena could hear it.  
"Well, I'm back now, do you want to have dinner tonight, at around eight?"  
Kara paused. She should have been trying to save her current relationship, not pursuing a new one. "I'd love to." Guilt made her grimace.  
"Perfect. do you know where Paccini’s - "  
" - I have a fiance." Kara suddenly blurted out, screwing her face up in embarrassment.  
"I'd assumed, you know, based on the ring." Lena sounded amused.  
Kara couldn't help laughing sheepishly. "Sorry. Paccini’s? I'll look it up."  
"See you later then, Kara.”  
Kara placed her phone back on the desk and stared the half eaten sandwich in her other hand. Alex was watching her from her own workstation on the verge of laughter.  
"Shut up."  
"I didn't say anything!" Alex held up her hands defensively.  
"Well, good!"  
“Well, anyway,” she teased in a fair impression of Kara, “I set up a global alert for any more assassinations, since they aren’t usually that common, and I got another hit - in Montpellier this time. “  
“France?” Curiousity overcame Kara's her earlier irritation.  
“Mhm, the CEO for German manufacturing giant, Gustav Holt, who was on vacation in the south of France, and get this, had ties to our dead congressman.” Alex opened a zip file attachment from a contact in the GDSE. “He was strangled with an old school piano wire garrote in his hotel bed, Jacques thinks.”  
“Jacques just gave you this? Kara marveled, eyes skimming over the hi-res photos.  
Alex waved her hand dismissively. “The gay mafia. That’s not what’s cool about it! Witnesses saw Holt talking ‘intimately’ with a tall pale woman -“ she opened a still from a restaurant CCTV feed which showed the deceased with his arm around a woman, whose face was obscured by a large decorative plant. “There weren’t any better photos than this, it’s like she knew where the cameras were.”  
“Blonde, huh,” Kara mused. “Could be a wig I guess.”  
“They found some hairs at the scene, the old guy put up a bit of a fight apparently, so Jacques will keep me posted.”  
“Fuck yeah.” They exchanged a high five then Alex checked her watch and began gathering her belongings.  
“I said I’d pick Maggie up after work. If you’re going to this tryst of yours, you’d better go get changed too,”  
“It’s not a tryst.” Kara grumbled, but followed suit all the same.  
It took an inordinate number of outfit changes before she settled on her favourite flannel shirt with a pair of tan chinos, tucked into the black lace up boots she’d bought on a whim and had never worn after Alex said they made her look like an extra from Easy Rider. She topped it off with a cable knit sweater under her jacket and was giving herself the once over in the bathroom mirror when she heard Mn El return home.  
He watched her rifle through her bag for her wallet and spray herself with perfume impassively. “Going out?”  
“I’m having dinner with a friend.” It wasnt a lie, Kara wasn’t sure why it felt like one.  
“Have fun.” He replied shortly, and moved aside so she could leave. She hesitated, then gave him a peck on the cheek. “Love you.”  
“Love you too.”  
She caught the subway uptown and walked the two remaining blocks to the address she'd looked up earlier. The sun had well and truly set, and a cold drizzle was starting making the sidewalk slippery. Kara was grateful for her boots with their extra grip.  
The restaurant was all wood and polished brass inside, with Greco-Roman marble statues scattered among the tables. Kara realized immediately she was woefully underdressed.  
The greeter took her jacket and guided her to a table where Lena was already waiting. She wore a fitted black dress of a material so expensive Kara couldn’t identify it; her hair was loose around her shoulders and her coloring was accentuated by rich red lipstick. The effect was only slightly marred by a purple bruise under her left eye.  
Kara gestured to her own outfit. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure what to wear...”  
“I think you look incredible.” Lena replied gallantly as they sat opposite one another.  
Kara scanned the drinks menu, inwardly wincing at the prices.  
“I ordered a bottle of Brut if you’d like to share,” Lena smiled. “But I’m perfectly happy to polish it off myself if you don’t like champagne.”  
“That sounds great.” Kara replied with a nervous laugh.  
She was reminded suddenly how little she knew this woman, and wasn’t sure what to say. Was this weird afterall? Lena seemed to intuit her discomfort and took the reins. She asked leading questions about her life, her likes and dislikes, and answering Kara’s own questions intelligently and warmly.  
A plate of bruschetta was placed on the table between them and Lena took the opportunity to order sparkling water for the table, then turned back to Kara with her full attention.  
“So you’re engaged?”  
“I am.”  
“What’s your fiance’s name?”  
Kara hid her discomfort at the line of questioning with a mouthful of champagne. “Mon El.”  
“And what does he - sorry, I assume it’s a ‘he’?” Kara nodded. “What does he do?”  
“He’s a bar manager.”  
Lena appeared to be digesting this information while she took a bite of her appetizer. “And are you two happy?”  
Kara baulked. “I don’t know that I’ve had enough to drink to talk about that?”  
“Sorry,” Lena grinned sheepishly, “My friends tell me I’m too nosy for my own good.”  
“It’s okay, I just wouldn’t want to bore you.”  
“It wouldn’t bore me, I love hearing about normal lives.” Lena replied, then grimaced. “I think you’re right. These conversations are better suited for 3am.”  
Their main meals arrived, belaying any further awkwardness.  
Later, as Kara speared a piece of sweet potato gnocchi on the end of her fork she finally worked up the courage to voice the question which she'd been burning to ask all evening. "What happened to your - " She gestured with her fork to her eye.  
"Oh! that? I was in Metroplolis for work and a bike messenger ran into me on the sidewalk.' Lena replied with a self deprecating laugh. "Really?" Kara exclaimed incredulously, “I thought that only happened in movies!"  
Lena shrugged. "I guess it's a cliche for a reason."  
After their plates were taken Lena suggested a dessert cocktail at a bar nearby, and asked for the cheque.  
Kara surreptitiously transferred some additional money from her savings account using her phone, but Lena insisted on covering the whole amount. "They don't do split bills." She assured.  
"Well, I'll get the next one." Kara replied.  
Lena smiled. "Done."  
The bar Lena had chosen was below an upholstry store around the corner from the restaurant. The lighting was muted, provided only by lamps on the red velvet walls with dark green shades. It was busy, but not full and Lena found them a tiny table, so small their knees touched beneath it.  
"I love this place," She sighed happily, "The menu is like a history lesson."  
Kara flicked through the leather bound book and quickly found a drink which appealed to her love of sweet flavours.  
When it arrived, her drink was as delicious as it looked. Lena propped her chin on her hand watching her savor a mouthful, while twisting a maraschino cherry stem between her thumb and index finger. Under her curious gaze and emboldened by half a bottle of champagne, Kara said suddenly:  
"No."  
"Sorry?"  
"No, I'm not happy." She was silent for a moment while she forumated her thoughts. Lena waited patiently.  
"It's like...we keep missing each other. like a radio frequency that's a little out of tune, you know? Everything he does annoys me and I can't find it inside to be kind anymore." She traced a finger down the condensation on the side of her glass.  
Lena’s expression was inscrutable and Kara suddenly felt almost overwhelmed with regret.  
"I can't believe I just blurted all that out to a stranger..." she made to cover her face with her hands but Lena grabbed one of of them and squeezed her fingers comfortingly.  
"Sometimes it's easier to open up to strangers," she gave a one-shoulder shrug. "My philosphy's always been to leave when it gets hard but...I guess it's up to you whether it's worth repairing. Maybe you can rediscover what you liked about Mon El?"  
At that moment nothing was further from her thoughts truthfully, with Lena’s fingers entwined with hers, their knees touching.  
She blushed and busied herself with the cocktail book.  
Lena withdrew her hand and drained her glass with a brisk toss of her head, then she checked her watch and pulled a face. "I'd better get going. There's a conference tomorrow morning I can't miss."  
Kara settled the bill and they went out into the cold city street. The drizzle had ceased, but clouds still swirled overhead.  
"I'm just in that building - " Lena pointed to a sleek highrise in the next block while she adjusted her black furlined coat with a shiver. "I'll walk you." Kara said brightly. "It's on my way to the subway station."  
The weather was freezing for National City, and they walked quickly, reaching the lobby of Lena’s building in a matter of minutes. "I had a great time," Lena said graciously, "We should do it again."  
There was an awkward shuffle as Kara made to shake hands while Lena was anticipating a hug. They both laughed, then Kara stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Lena’s shoulders in a more lingering embrace than that which had preceded the dinner. Her heart felt as though it was in her throat. Lena’s lips were slightly parted. Her hands had not moved from Kara’s waist.  
Kara traced a finger along the bruise under Lena’s eye, then Lena leaned closer. Their lips brushed gently, before joining in a slow kiss. Faux fur tickled Kara’s cheek. She slid her fingers around the nape of Lena’s neck, deepening the kiss. Her tongue flicked lightly against Lena’s, attraction sizzling like electricity at every point their bodies touched.  
Lena then pulled away with a shaky laugh. “Whoops!”  
"Sorry." Kara moved back a step. 'Um, goodbye!."  
"Text me when you're home," Lena called after her. She waved in acknowledgement.  
Mon El was still awake when she stepped into the living room, watching an action movie on television.  
"Hey you," he greeted affectionately, "How was dinner?"  
"Fine," Kara replied, kicking off her shoes and joining him on the sofa. Guilt coiled in her chest when he absently wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She stared at the television screen, but could not have described anything about the movie at all.

Lena lay sprawled on the floor of her apartment, staring at the ceiling. After a moment she rolled onto her stomach, pulled her laptop closer and typed in an encrypted chat window:

LL: Are you sure??

The reply came back almost immediately.

LW: Only 1 Kara Danvers in USA.  
LW: Confirmed CIA Field Officer.

Lena sighed and closed the lid of the laptop. Her phone vibrated noisily on the tiles. A text from Kara read simply: "home safe x"  
She groaned and slid the phone away forcefully. "Fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lost the last half of the final chapter when my PC died so it might be a bit more of a wait while I get back in the zone, sorry!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get steamy, and the investigation hones in on a suspect in this final chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for the ending, but who doesn’t love a cliffhanger? Right? RIGHT?

The next morning Kara picked up two takeaway coffees from her favorite cafe and made her way slowly by foot to Alex’s building. She was partly looking forward to processing what had happened with Lena, but was also anticipating a ribbing like no other.  
She unlocked the door with her spare key after her knocking went unanswered.  
"Have you heard of Luthorcorp?" Alex asked her absently while riffling through a sheaf of papers in her armchair.  
Kara deposited her coffee on the floor beside her chair. "No, what do they do?"  
"I can't tell...their fingers are in a lot of pies.”  
Kara pulled over a chair from the dining suite. "Where'd you come across the name?"  
"The toxicology came back on Fink - " She passed Kara a sheet with the lab results. " - Looks like an overdose on some random anasthetic that’s supposed to be delivered intravenously - ingesting it would have been a really bad time." She laid out more paper on the floor in a grid. "The anasthetic is manufactured by Croft Pharma, which is owned by Luthorcorp."  
"Huh. Interesting but not - "  
Alex held up a finger to silence her. "They also own the company that owns the company that manufactures the rfife used in the shooting." She touched one of the pieces of paper on the floor with her foot. "And, were in direct competition with the German guy Holt for a tender to build the new hydro-electric power plant off the coast."  
Kara began typing rapidly on Alex’s laptop. "Fink spoke against giving them the tender due to their abysmal environmental record..." She played a snippet of an interview the mayoral candidate gave on the local news. "So we're thinking corporate espionage?"  
Alex massaged her temples. "Corporate espionage on steroids maybe, this is insane!"  
"What now? It's still kind of tenuous..."  
"We keep digging I guess. You look into the board of directors, I'll look into the congressman’s voting record."  
They worked feverishly throughout the morning, all thoughts of Lena driven from Kara’s mind in the excitement of a lead.  
Alex’s stomach growled audibly around midday and the halted for a meal.  
"Don't think I've forgotten about your date last night," Alex admonished while heating up leftover pizza in the microwave, "Spill."  
Haltingly - and with many interruptions - Kara recounted the events of the previous evening. A fresh wave of guilt curdled her insides when she reached the kiss. “...And I went home after that."  
"Well." Alex said admiringly, "You don't do things by halves do you?"  
Kara slumped on the kitchen counter. "I couldn't even look Mon El in the eye this morning."  
"Easy. Dump him and shack up with the sexy businesswoman you just met."  
Kara glared at her.  
"I'm kidding obviously." Alex slid a plate of piza towards her. "Do you want to see her again?"  
"Yes," Kara replied softly.  
"Do you...think about more than kissing her?"  
A blsh heated Kara's ears. "I guess."  
Alex plucked a slice of pepperoni from her pizza. "If you didn't see her again, do you think you’d get over it continue being happy with Mon El?"  
"I hadn't really thought about it like that," Kara frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not sure."  
"Something to think about then."  
"When did you get so good at relationship advice?"  
"I've always been good at relationship advice," Alex laughed. "You just never listened before."

It was coming up to midnight by the time Kara wearily unlocked her door, her mind felt frazzled beyond even the simplest tasks. Finding anything about the reclusive Luthorcorp board was almost impossible - even the family for whom the company was named had dropped off the face of the earth sometime in the eighties. What they had found was frightening in its scope and ruthlessness. As many as six other assassinations potentially linked, at seemingly the smallest provocation.  
As she stepped over the threshold her phone began to ring. Despite her exhaustion she found the energy to be pleased.  
“Hey,” she almost sighed.  
“You sound tired.” Lena said, “I’ll leave you to it if you - “  
“No! No, it’s been a long day that’s all.” Kara threw her keys on the counter and maneuvered over the arm of the sofa to lie across it comfortably. “What’s up?”  
Lena was silent for a moment. “When I didn’t hear from you I wasn’t sure whether...whether you wanted to see me again.”  
“Of course I do!” Kara winced at how keen she sounded. “I mean, if you want. I had fun last night.”  
“Me too.” There was a pregnant pause before Lena asked, “Do you...want to come over?”  
Kara felt a ingling sensation spread out from her chest. “I-“  
Lena cut her off. “It’s okay. I should go.”  
The line went dead.  
It was a while before she noticed Mon El watching her from the bedroom. She sat up quickly. “Hey! I didn’t realize you were home.”  
He didn't reply. She took in the empty cans on the side of the sink and the slightly unfocused look in his eyes.  
"Been having fun without me huh?" She teased.  
"So have you." He shot back immediately.  
Kara scoffed. "What are you talking about?"  
"You're a bad liar." He replied quietly. "Who is he?"  
"What're you - "  
"Who is he!" Mon El roared, and hurled a half full can at the wall behind her, beer splattering the floor.  
Anger flared in her chest. She stood decisively and pulled her shoes on.  
"Wait - " he took a step towards her, “I'm sorry, don't go..."  
Wordlessly she opened the front door and paused, turning to look at her fiancé over one shoulder. She considered a parting blow - revealing triumphantly that it was a woman not a man who’d stolen her away - but he looked sad and broken enough. She closed the door softly behind her, leaving him alone in the apartment.

Lena lay in bed stared at her dark ceiling in moody introspection. She should cut off Kara completely, potentially move to a new city and change her name.  
But she didn't want to.  
The phonecall earlier had definitely been a mistake, a momentary lapse in judgement. she still couldn't believe she'd actually propositioned a CIA agent. It made her insides crawl with regret.  
Her phone display began flashing on her bedside table; she picked it up, then sat bolt upright and answered the incoming call.  
"Kara?"  
"Hey...I'm in the lobby."  
Lena froze. "My lobby?"  
"Yeah. But I can go if you - "  
"No! No it's fine, Go to the elevator and I'll buzz you up."  
She hastily pulled on a sweater and tights, and pressed the button on her intercom which would bring the elevator to her floor.  
"This is a terrible idea." She admonished herself while fixing her hair. Nevertheless she waited impatiently for the sound of the chime, then opened her door, heart hammering uncharacteristically fast.  
Their eyes locked as the metal doors slid smoothly open. Lena wordlessly held her apartment door open and Kara, smiling nervously, stepped inside.  
She closed the door with a soft click and turned. Kara was in her apartment.  
She should ask her to leave. Or make an excuse to leave herself. She stood paralyzed by indecision, which was an emotion she didn’t have much experience with.  
“Uh, can I get you a drink?” She managed eventually.  
“No. No, I’m okay.” Kara tilted her head. “Should I go? You seem...” She trailed off.  
“I don’t want you to go.” Lena said softly.  
As if drawn like the opposite poles of two magnets, the space between closed and they were suddenly embracing tightly. Lena’s nostrils were filled with the scent of Kara’s hair.  
She felt her sigh. “This is crazy...I don’t even know your last name but I feel...”  
Lena pulled away slightly to examine her face. It certainly was crazy, part of her brain was screaming at her to back out before it was too late.  
She kissed her instead.  
Kara returned the kiss with vigor. She tasted minty and fresh, hands pressing against the middle of her back. She nipped Kara’s lip lightly between her teeth and was rewarded with a soft groan which sent a jolt straight between her legs.  
She felt soft fingers lift up her sweater and grip her bare hips, accompanied by a marked increase in intensity from Kara, whose tongue now brushed hers almost forcefully.  
They separated breathlessly. Kara watched her with dark eyes, her cheeks flushed, lips parted. Her glasses had fogged up along the lower third of each lense.  
Lena tilted her head toward the bedroom with a shy smile. “D’you want to - “  
“ - Yes.” Kara cut in, then laughed self-consciously. “Too eager?”  
“Not at all.” Lena smiled and walked backwards across the living room, bringing Kara with her.  
In the lamplight Lena pulled her sweater over her head. The cold air on her skin prompted a wave of goosepimples along her arms.  
Kara removed her jacket and undid her blouse with quick fingers. Lena watched her shrug it off and hesitate, then her black sports ra joined the pile of clothes beside her feet.  
Her muscular torso drew Lena close, and she traced the lines of her defined triceps while they kissed more leisurely.  
Kara’s hands roamed over her bare skin.“You’re so soft...” she whispered, “Is it okay if - “ she tentatively moved a hand to Lena’s left breast, whose nipples stiffened at the light contact. She closed her eyes to savor the sensation.  
Kara slowly trailed her fingers downward, between her breasts and over her stomach, then stopped at the waistband of her tights. “Could you...maybe take those off?” She asked in a hoarse murmur.  
Lena raised a speculative eyebrow. She’d assumed Kara was a first timer with women, maybe she’d misjudged.  
She slid her tights - and underwear down her legs and kicked them aside. Kara moved in again, her hand continuing its path down, over her bellybutton, past the puckered skin marked by the tights, then paused again. Lena’s heart fluttered with anticipation. She allowed herself to be guided onto the bed and shuffled backward so Kara could kneel between her legs. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched beneath hooded eyes. Kara seemed to be drinking in her nudity for a moment, gaze roaming over her pale skin, then she slowly slid a finger between Lena’s lips, causing her hips to jolt of their own accord.  
Kara hesitated. “I haven’t ever done this kind of thing before.” She said, blushing.  
Lena sat up. “Let me show you.” She took Kara’s hand, and guided her fingers to her clitoris, demonstrating the movement she wanted. She then reclined back onto her elbows to watch Kara work. Her breathing came more quickly as the sensation began to build. She twitched under Kara’s attentive hand, and her fascinated breathless expression while she watched her own fingers at work. She unconsciously began pressing herself against Lena’s thigh, the denim rough on her skin.  
Lena pulled her hand away seconds before her climax and guided her fingers inside.  
Kara’s breath caught. “Oh -“  
She pressed Kara’s fingers, then orgasmed with a shudder.  
“I can feel...” Kara gasped.  
Lena pulled her close for a languid kiss. Kara’s fingers still moved slowly inside her promoting small shudders. She removed her glasses and placed them on the beside table beside her.  
“Was that okay?” Kara asked.  
Lena let out a throaty laugh and sighed, “It was.”  
They gazed at one another for a minute, then Lena shifted uncomfortably. “Your belt buckle’s digging in a little.”  
“Oh!” Kara sat up and grinned shyly. “Should I...take it off?”  
“If you want to.”  
Kara stood and kicked off her jeans and underwear, then lay on her side facing Lena.  
Lena traced a finger over her hips and down her thigh. “Do you want me to fuck you?”  
Kara gasped, “Yes...”  
Lena rolled over to her bedside table and pulled open a drawer, where she rifled through the contents. “There you are,” she muttered absently.  
Kara stared at the silicone object in Lena’s hand.  
“You haven’t used a vibrator before?” Lena asked, inwardly incredulous.  
“I mean, I’ve thought about it, but...I’d like it if you used it on me.” Kara finished quickly.  
With a smile Lena eased Kara onto her back and straddled her thigh. She slowly trailed the head of the vibrator down her stomach, along one thigh, then the other before touching it between them.  
Kara inhaled sharply.  
Lena lifted it to her lips and moistened it with her saliva, then slowly pushed it inside Kara.  
Once fully inserted, she pressed the base and it began vibrating intensely. She set a slow rhythm, thrusting in and back out.  
Kara gripped the comforter with white knuckles and arched her back, the sounds she made were like a whip spurring Lena’s libido.  
On a whim she sidled lower and dipped her face to Kara’s clitoris, touching it once with her tongue.  
“Oh jeez -“ Kara spasmed and jerked as her climax took over.  
When it had subsided Lena removed the vibrator and turned it off with a click. She moved some strands of blonde hair from Kara’s face and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Staring down at her Lena wondered, maybe if she was very careful this relationship could work.  
“Everything alright?” She asked softly.  
Kara nodded with a satisfied sigh. “Never better.” She glanced over at the bedside table. “What else is in the drawer?”  
Lena laughed. “Let me show you...”

"What time is it?"  
Lena craned to check the clock on her phone. "About ten."  
Kara winced. "Shit...I need to get moving." She began rifling through her pile of clothes for her phone.  
Lena swung her legs over the edge fo the bed and stood with a languid stretch, still completely naked. "Coffee?"  
"I'd love one." Kara pressed the power button on her phone futiley and called after Lena, “Say, do you have a charger i can borrow?"  
"Beside the chair!" Lena replied from the kitchen.  
Kara spotted ‘the chair’ immediately. It was a fixture of nearly every bedroom she'd ever been in: a chair draped with clothes which had been worn, but weren't dirty. A charging cable extended from the wall beneath it.  
She perched on the edge of the seat, careful not to dislodge any of the garments, and plugged in her phone. Immediately missed call notifications began pouring in. "Shit!" She swore again, keyed in Alex's number and bent down awkwardly to hold the phone to her ear.  
"Where are you!" Alex demanded after one ring. "Mon El's called here about fifty times!"  
"I'm at Lena's," Kara replied softly.  
Alex let out a burst of incredulous laughter.  
"Shut up."  
"Sorry! It's just, you move super fast." She heard Alex exhale and regain her composure. "Are you coming in today? I spent all night putting together a report of our findings, so the digital forensics team can hack Luthorcorp."  
Kara leant back on the chair. "Really? You’re the actual best. I'll be in soon -" Behind her, the clothing draped over the chair back slid slowly to the floor.  
“I’ll meet you there. Hey, did you guys f - “  
She ended the call and carefuly lifted the assortment of jackets and dresses, probably worth more than every item she owned from the floor, and flipped them back onto the chair. Something small and shiny fell from the pocket of a gray coat which had been on the bottom of the pile and pinged across the tiles, coming to a stop beside one of her shoes.  
She knelt down and picked the brass cylinder up, inspecting it curiously. Why would Lena have a bullet casing?  
It looked familiar somehow.  
After a moment She dropped it with a sharp inhale. It's distinctive grooves spun slowly as it rolled away. Her thoughts reeled, gradually putting pieces together to create a horrifying picture. "Oh fuck..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the moment I don’t really know how I’d explore the relationship after this point and at the time of writing I wasn’t super interested in what that would be anyway, but I’ve had a bit more time with it and assuming anyone’s interested I’ve got a couple of ideas to potentially flesh out.
> 
> EDIT: Thanks for all the amazing feedback! I’ve amended the chapter total and am editing a proper ending.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena’s secret has been revealed, and Kara struggles with what to do with this information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the feedback! I hope you like this one. I’m endeavoring to maneuver it into a happy ending, but CW for character death in this chapter (none of the main characters I promise). Anyhoo, pretty much leaves off where the last one left things.

"How do you take your coffee?" Lena called from the kitchen, Kara scrabbled for the bullet casing on the floor and stuffed it into the pocket of her jeans as she pulled them on.  
"Uh, milk and sugar!" She dressed as quickly as possible and was fumblingly trying to tie her shoes when Lena appeared with two steaming mugs of coffee.  
Kara couldn’t help the physiological response to her naked body, closely followed by a sobering wave of fright.  
Lena frowned theatrically upon seeing Kara already dressed. "I was hoping to keep you a little longer."  
Kara tried for a smile - she imagined it looked ghastly. "I have to go in to work unfortunately." She accepted the cup and took a mouthful, then set it on the sideboard as a tremor threatened to slop coffee all over her shirt.  
Lena placed her cup beside Kara’s and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Maybe I'll see you tonight?"  
Kara’s doubts about her true identity were put on hold as Lena began to nuzzle her neck. Her knees buckled and she allowed herself to be moved back toward the bed a few steps, before her rational brain reasserted it’s dominance and she extricated herself, moving instead towards the door. "I'll call you!” She said breathlessly.  
With a regretful sigh Lena allowed her to go. "Did you want a keep-cup for your coffee at least?"  
Kara paused. "That would be awesome."  
Lena pulled on a silk dressing gown, took Kara’s cup to the kitchen and poured it’s contents into a silicone one with a lid. "Here."  
"Thank you.”"  
"Thank you for last night." Lena smiled, opening her front door. She kissed Kara’s cheek lingeringly and stepped aside.  
Kara hammered the button marked 'lobby' repeatedly and screwed her eyes shut to try and think through what had happened with her morning. Flashbacks of Lena writhing under her touch were not helping the anxiety stew her emotions were becoming.  
On the street she furtively poured the coffee into a drain and slipped the cup into an evidence bag she kept in her wallet with a twinge of guilt. After all there was no way Lena could be the assassin, it was probably all a big coincidence. The fingerprints from the cup would exonerate her - Kara was sure of it by the time she was walking into work 45 minutes later.  
She stopped by Winn’s office on the way to the bullpen to drop off the evidence bag, letting him think she thought Mon El was having an affair and wanted to catch him out.  
Alex’s face lit up when she saw her. "Finally! I need you to tell me everything - except the sex stuff. You can skip over that."  
Kara smiled weakly. "What time's the briefing?"  
"Not til one," Alex picked up on Kara’s discomfort and gave her a quizzical look. "Let's...get a coffee."  
They found a secluded table in the office kitchenette and Alex poured two styrofoam cups from the drip machine.  
Kara’s thoughts raced at one hundred miles an hour. She should tell Alex.  
She should show her the bullet casing.  
She should actually probably report it to Hank so they could bring Lena in before anyone else got hurt.  
"Is everything okay? Alex asked gently, shifting her seat closer, "I mean, I know what you must be feeling, have you talked to Mon El yet?"  
Kara had completely forgotten about her fiancé. "No, I haven't really decided what to do yet."  
Alex gave her hand a ccomforting squeeze. "Well, You have a room in our apartment as long as you need it, while you sort your shit."  
"That means a lot..." If there was one thing Kara did know, it was that she didn't want to go home. "I'll take you up on that if it's no trouble."  
"Of course not. But is everything okay? You had a good time despite all the real life crap?"  
Kara laughed softly. "Yep, I had a really good time."  
There was no point ruining Lena’s life without evidence, she assured herself, as she told an increasingly ecstatic Alex what had happened the previous evening. She could wait until the fingerprints came back.

Lena spent the day in the gym to try and burn off some of her restless energy.  
Kara had seemed odd before she left, she reflected while using the rowing machine, it might have been the surprising swiftness with which their relationship had become sexual, or maybe down to her having a fiancé with whom she'd already built a life. She briefly fantasised about this ‘Mon El’ having a fatal accident, but dismissed it. Bad enough to be sleeping with a government agent without drawing undue attention by murdering her spouse.  
Psi was waiting when she returned to her apartment later that afternoon.  
Without any preamble she passed over a folder. "I've been told this job is urgent.”  
“When do they need it done by?”  
“It has to be done tonight.”  
Lena flicked it open curiously. Unlike her usual marks aside from a photo, a name and an address there was very little information. "No itinerary?"  
"It's...sensitive." Psi replied evasvely. "If you complete it to the board's satisfaction you'll receive a special bonus."  
"Consider it done." Lena replied with an unconcerned shrug.  
Psi nodded. "I always do."

Alex punched the air in triumph as they left work for the day. Hank agreed Luthorcorp was worth investigating, and the process of requesting warrants for their building in National City had commenced. Aside from validation for all their hard work, Hank had given them rare personal praise; "Your father would be proud." He'd said solemnly.  
"This calls for a celebration." Alaex declared once out on the street, "Takeout from Mr Wong’s and beer?"  
Kara could have kissed her. "That sounds perfect."  
Maggie was already home when they arrived, and passed Kara a cold bottle of Cerveza, before wrapping Alex in her arms. Kara watched them fondly, then her phone began vibrating in her pocket and she grimaced at the caller ID. "It’s Mon El."  
Alex turned her head but kept her arms around Maggie. "Want me to talk to him?"  
"No...I owe him this much I guess." Kara sighed, and held the phone to her ear. "Hi."  
"Are you coming home?"  
He sounded contrite, but Kara remained unswayed. "I think I'll stay at Alex and Maggie's for a while." She said carefully.  
"I thought...we could talk."  
"I don't have much to say El, we've been doing so much talking lately."  
She could sense his growing frustration.  
"I need to fix this! You can't just leave everything we've built - "  
" - I’ve built! You moved into My apartment. I proposed. I pay the bills." Kara snapped.  
"So you wait until you find someone better, then you leave?" He demanded petulantly.  
Kara sighed. "Maybe it took someone else to make me see how unhappy I was." Dating a suspected assassin for a shady conglomerate was preferable to the life she’d been living. "I'll give you a month to move out."  
There was a sharp clatter and the line went dead.  
"He threw his phone at the wall."  
Maggie rolled her eyes "Testosterone."  
"I'm proud of you." Alex said, pulling Kara into a hug.

Full of dumplings and beer, Kara lay on the rug while Alex leaned against Maggie’s chest on the sofa. None of them were watching the movie they’d chosen, but it was still a nice way to spend an evening.  
"You should invite her over." Maggie said suddenly.  
Kara propped herself up on her elbows. "Who?"  
"Lena! She needs to be vetted by Alex and me, and I want to see what all the fuss is about."  
The worm of anxiety gave a wriggle in the pit of Kara's stomach. "I don't know..."  
"Come on," Alex cajoled, "What's the worst that could happen?"  
"She says yes and you embarrass me horribly?"  
Alex made a shocked noise.  
Kara recalled having promised to call before leaving that morning "Fine, I'll call her." She staggered to her feet and moved to the spare room - which was now her room, she supposed - and closed the door.  
Lena answered after three rings. "Hey you," she said softly.  
Kara’s heart leapt into her throat. "Hey! Are you busy? Alex - my sister - and her wife wanted to know if you - I mean, I'm staying with them, and we have beer, do you want to come over?" She said in a tumbling rush.  
"Was that an invitation to meet your family?" Lena laughed, then continued in a more subdued tone. "I'd love to, but I've been called into work."  
"Oh?" Uneasy suspicion was roused despite Kara’s intoxication.  
"Some market crash in Indonesia. Can I call you tomorrow?" Lena paused. "Maybe I could come over then."  
"No problem."  
"Have a good night Kara."  
The call ended but It was a long time before Kara returned to the movie.

Lena left her phone on the kitchen counter and took the fire escape to the garage. She shifted her backpack, pulled on a black helmet over hair tied in a loose bun and twisted the ignition on her motorbike. The streets were relatively empty, and in a short time Lena pulled up around the corner from the target's home on a leafy semi-suburban street.  
She walked quickly along the alley behind the terrace houses and mantled onto the garage roof of the one corresponding with the target’s address. She lay flat on her stomach on the roof for a few minutes, watching the target make dinner in the well-lit kitchen at the back of the house. She considered taking the shot from there and calling Kara back right away, but in the end she put that plan aside after spotting a window on the second floor slightly ajar. Better a job done well, she chided herself.  
She stalked across the courtyard and pulled herself up the downpipe, then carefully peered over the window ledge before levering it open and dropping silently to the carpet.  
She removed a pistol with a long silencer from her waitband and checked the other rooms upstairs. Satisfied the target was alone, she crouched at the top of the staircase and waited. He had finished cooking and took his solitary meal to a two-person dining table facing the television.  
Lena continued to wait, moving into a comfortable squat and tapping the silencer idly on her cheek.  
The target finished his meal and typed on his laptop for another hour in front of the television before turning off the lights and moving toward the stairs. Lena padded across the carpet to the bathroom, stepped into the bath and drew the curtain, pistol in her gloved hand. Through the screen she saw the target turn on the bathroom light, then heard the sound of water splashing on procelain accompanied by the acrid smell of urine filling her nostrils.  
She waited for him to redo his fly - nobody deserved indignity in death, she thought - then pulled the curtain aside.  
The target had time for a sharp intake of breath before the bullet entered his forehead, exiting out the back of his head and ending it’s trip embedded in the wall.  
Humming softly, Lena maneuvered around the blood rapidly expanding from the corpse, leapt from the bedroom window and left through the back gate.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed." Kara announced with a yawn and drained the last of her beer.  
"You got everything you need?" Maggie asked.  
"I think so." Kara gave her an affectionate smile. "Thanks again, for everything."  
"What's family for?" Maggie shrugged, then reached into the pocket of her sweatpants for her phone. "Detective Sawyer."  
Kara left her to her work and poured a glass of water in the kitchen, sculling as much of it as she could to minimize her hangover in the morning.  
"Holy Hell...Okay. Can you come get us? Thanks." Maggie turned to Kara with a solemn expression.  
"What is it?" Alex asked, emerging from the bathrom.  
"I have to go to a crime scene." She replied slowly.  
Alex groaned in sympathy. “Will you be okay to drive?”  
“Olsen is picking me up, but I think you guys should come with me.”  
Kara and Alex exchanged a glance. “Why?”  
She grimaced. "Its...Hank Henshaw. He's been shot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about that! I hope you enjoy this next part as much as the first, I like to have everything at least in first draft before I start uploading so it won’t take very long to have it all finished.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the death of Hank Henshaw the Kara begins looking into Lena in earnest.

Kara stared down at the man she'd known for most of her life, his eyes stared vacantly back at her. His skin had taken on the unsettling pallor of the dead, and around him spread a halo of dark sticky blood.  
"The bullet traveled through the wall to the terrace next door." Vasqez was telling Maggie quietly. "High caliber pistol I'd say, based on the exit wound. Pretty much point blank - see the stipling?"  
Maggie grunted in agreement and touched Kara on the shoulder. "All good Danvers?"  
Kara shook her head. "No, I dont think so."  
Alex was outside getting some air. Her bond with Hank had been closer than Kara's, though he’d been a father to them both when their biological one had been killed in the line of duty.  
A hideous thought surfaced: If Lena had done this, the fault lay squarely at Kara’s feet for not telling anyone her suspicions.  
The drive back to the city was completed in silence; Alex's hands clenched and unclenched compulsively in her lap beside Kara in the back seat of the squad car. Kara herself felt sick with dread, she needed room to think.  
Maggie unlocked the door and Alex walked straight to their bedroom. With a grimace and a soft “good night" for Kara, Maggie followed her.  
Later while lying in bed staring at the ceiling, Kara heard her sister crying through the wall.  
After a sleepless night Kara gripped the bullet casing in her fist and left her bedroom. She was relieved to see Alex up and eating breakfast, albeit with bloodshot eyes and a haunted look.  
"Hungry? There's toast." Alex pointed to the toaster on the counter.  
"No." Kara held the casing so tightly it cut into her palm. "I need to tell you something." She dropped the piece of brass onto the table between them.  
Alex stared at it. "What is - "  
"I found it at Lena's. It's the same as the one Winn said was used in the congressman shooting." She replied miserably.  
Alex picked the casing up and inspected the base. "You’re not suggesting Lena’s the shooter?" She gave a weak chuckle. "Why would a wanted assassin be seducing a CIA agent?"  
"I know it sounds crazy, but I can't stop thinking about it." Kara raised a finger. "Lena was in London for the first murder," she raised a second, "She was at the Gala - "  
"What about Holt?" Alex cut in.  
"She said she was in Metropolis, but she had a black eye when she came back - you said Holt put up a fight, right?"  
Alex pressed her knuckles into her eye sockets. "How long have you been thinking about this?"  
"I found the casing yesterday morning. I...took a coffee cup and gave it to Winn for fingerprints, I was going to tell you if it came back positive." She couldn't help the tears which welled up in the corners of her eyes. "If I'd told someone sooner Hank might still be - "  
Alex pulled her into a rough embrace. "No way." She said fiercely. "You did the right thing. I probably would have thought you were crazy. While we wait for Winn we can look into Lena for connections if you want?”  
The knot of anxiety loosened and she nodded. It felt good to do something.  
"Last name?" Alex asked, fingers hovering over her laptop keyboard.  
"Uh..." Kara shrugged with a sheepish expression.  
Alex couldn’t help laughing. "Jeez Kara, you really were thinking with your - "  
"Okay, okay!" Kara grumbled, “How do we find her?”  
“Well,” Alex said slowly, “We know she was at the gala, maybe the press caught a picture.”  
It didn’t take much trawling through paparazzi sites to find a full length photo of Lena posing with a bright smile.  
“If she is the killer she’s got some balls,” Alex said half admiringly, “It’s like she didn’t care if she was placed there.”  
Kara inwardly hoped that was an indicator of Lena’s innocence. Even looking at a photo of that smile made her chest constrict. Alex dragged the photo into an image search tool and a page of similar pictures was generated.  
“What’s that one?” Kara pointed to a woman who appeared to be Lena around ten years younger in a graduation gown, accompanied by a solemn looking older woman.  
“‘First class honors in Business, Lena Thorul (left) with mother’.” Alex read, “At least she wasn’t lying about her background.”  
Kara felt slightly reassured. “Let’s check the mom out.”  
Alex ran a second search using just the face of the older woman in another tab. In the sea of similar pictures only one was a potential match, from a conspiracy page which didn’t appear to have been updated since 2005. “The website looks a bit skeezy but it’s definitely her...’Lillian Luthor.’”  
Kara covered her eyes with her hand. “This is arguably worst case scenario.”  
“Maybe it’s a different Luthor - “  
There was a knock at the door. They both turned towards it.  
“Are you expecting anyone?” Alex asked softly.  
“Nobody knows I’m here.”  
Alex pulled her service weapon from a drawer while Kara checked the peep hole. “It’s Winn.”  
Alex sagged with relief. “Fuck...”  
Kara opened the door for the analyst who was uncharacteristically solemn. He placed an envelope on the table. “I don’t know where you got that cup, but the prints are a match for some found at the Holt murder.”  
Kara’s heart dropped into her stomach.  
“I actually think this might be worst case scenario.” Alex said dryly.

"Excellent work, as usual." Psi said with an approving nod.  
"That's why I get the big bucks," Lena replied absently, applying eyeliner in the mirror behind her sideboard; she could see Psi leaning on her cane in the reflection.  
“Your usual fee will be deposited into your account. And the bonus I mentioned, “ Psi reached into her coat. “I have it right here - “  
Lena saw the muzzle of a pistol and dived sideways just as Psi fired. There was a crack as the bullet hit the mirror where her head had been a millisecond earlier. She heard another fly past her as she dived for the kitchen, so the breakfast bar now separated her from her handler.  
She forced herself to regulate her breathing as she’d been trained to do from childhood and scanned the kitchen for some way to defend herself.  
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this!” Psi called, Lena ignored the taunt and carefully opened a cupboard beside her.  
“We drew straws for this assignment, and I won...”  
Lena closed her eyes to pinpoint Psi’s location. She was slowly circling to the left. Lena gripped a heavy whiskey glass and in a swift movement, stood and hurled it. She was rewarded by a ‘thunk’ and a curse, and bull-rushed Psi.  
Her momentum sent them crashing over the dining table and onto the floor on the other side. Her focus was entirely on getting the pistol out of the equation so she didn’t see Psi’s palm until it collided forcefully with her nose.  
The world went white with pain.  
She lashed out blindly with her foot and felt it connect with something that gave with a sickening crack, Psi shrieked in pain and Lena was able to gain the upper hand. Through eyes streaming with tears she knocked her unconscious with one swift punch and fell back, chest heaving with every panted breath.  
Blood spattered the tiles in a steady steam from Lena’s nostrils. She whipped a tea towel from the oven door and held it against her nose as a temporary measure - it felt as though it would have to be reset, but that would need to come later. She retrieved Psi’s gun and collapsed back onto one of the dining chairs while waiting for her to regain consciousness.  
Her bleeding had stopped by the time the handler showed any sign of movement. She was evidently in immense pain, the knee of her good leg was facing the wrong direction. She applied pressure to her thigh with a whimper of pain, but it was Lena idly checking the pistol magazine that grabbed her attention.  
“Now, before I shoot you,” Lena said brightly, as though they were friends chatting over coffee, “Who gave the order?”  
Psi’s grin in response was more a grimace through gritted teeth. “Who do you think?”  
Lena cocked the pistol and aimed it steadily at her head.  
Psi made a show of appearing unconcerned with a nonchalant shrug. “It came from the board - I didn’t ask who.”  
“You’re lying.”  
“You’ll never know if you shoot me.”  
“But it’d make me feel so much better.”  
Psi tilted her head in acknowledgement. “In that case I’d better tell you the truth.”  
Lena raised the pistol so the barrel pointed to the roof.  
“It was...” Psi pulled a small knife from her pocket and jammed the blade into her carotid artery with a triumphant smile.  
Lena clicked her tongue in annoyance and hastily began gathering necessary belongings while her ex-handler’s blood sprayed over the walls with every pump of her failing heart.  
It was imperative for her to leave the scene and lay low somewhere unknown to the board before they sent someone else.  
A short time later she was outside another apartment; she carefully checked the corridor for a tail and knocked on the door. It was answered by a handsome man with a beard, who smelled of stale beer.  
“Yes?” He asked suspiciously, she remembered her broken nose and realized she must have looked terrifying. Nevertheless, she raised her hand and tacked on a sunny smile. “You must be Mon El. Do you mind if I come in?”

The front desk at Lena’s building had buzzed the Danvers sisters up to the penthouse floor accomodatingly after they’d flashed their badges.  
“I still think we should have called this in,” Alex grumbled, “Maybe we’d have an armed response unit, or I don’t know, an assault rifle at least...”  
“We discussed this about fifteen times!” Kara snapped. The elevator was taking longer than she remembered.  
They had discussed going through the proper channels, but with Hank’s death they had no direct reporting officer until a new commander was appointed. They’d decided instead upon a circumspect line of questioning with Lena so as not to arouse suspicion until she dropped something they could use.  
The front door was ajar when Kara made to knock on it, with a worried glance at Alex she pulled her service weapon from its holster and pushed it open.  
The first thing she noticed was the blood. It spotted and smeared the white tiles and the kitchen counter.  
Then she saw the body.  
“Oh.” Her brain shut down. Alex gripped her hand comfortingly for a moment, then carefully stepped closer.  
Kara observed the stomach-churning angle the knee was facing, the knife in one slack hand, the mortal neck wound, with a numb detachment.  
“I don’t think it’s her.”  
“What?”  
Alex squatted beside the body. “Well for one thing the hair’s all wrong..”  
Kara joined Alex and forced herself to inspect the face. She nearly collapsed with the weight of her relief. “It’s not Lena.”  
“Who is she then? Where’s Lena?” Alex stood and gazed around the penthouse, at the disarray, and pointed at a bullet hole in the wall. “Looks like there was a struggle.”  
Kara inspected a bloody tea towel on the dining table, then felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She almost didn’t answer when the caller ID read ‘Mon El’, but needed to escape the grisly scene.  
“Hi.”  
“I need you to come over.” He said shortly.  
“I’m really busy with work El, can it wait?”  
“It needs to be now.” There was a pause. “Please?”  
“Okay...?”  
The call ended. Kara stared at her phone with a puzzled frown.  
“I have to go. Are we calling this in now?”  
“Yeah. I’ll do it, what’s up?”  
“Mon El needs me to go home.”  
“Now? You’re going now?” Alex demanded.  
“He sounded weird! I need to make sure he’s okay.”  
“You’re too caring by half sometimes, Kara.” Alex sighed. “Go! Take the car.” She threw her the keys.  
With a “Love you”, Kara left Alex to secure the scene.

“El?” Kara called as she entered the apartment, then she froze.  
Lena was inspecting a book she’d pulled from the shelf and turned when she heard Kara.  
“Lena, what’re you - “ Violent purple bruises were blooming under each eye and a bandaid covered the bridge of her nose. “What happened?” Kara asked in a hushed tone, taking half a step toward her.  
“I tripped over the curb and landed straight on my nose.” Lena laughed self-deprecatingly. “I’m such a clutz sometimes.”  
Kara crossed her arms. She recalled the tea towel and blood spots from the penthouse. “What’re you doing here? Where’s Mon El?”  
Lena shrugged “I came to see you, he let me in, then said he had to go.”  
Kara tried not to let her fear show on her face. If Mon El was in the apartment with them she couldn’t hear him. Anger quickly replaced fear. How dare this woman try to act so casually when there was a dead body in her home? She wrangled her emotions back under control. “How was your evening?” She asked with a careful air of unconcerned interest.  
Lena groaned. “New Zealand changed their packaging laws so we can’t brand our products - “  
“ - I thought you said it was Indonesia.” Kara said quietly.  
“Oh.” A frown momentarily crossed Lena’s features. “I must have been confused.” With a show of concern she moved closer to Kara. “Are you okay?”  
“Did you kill Hank?” Kara asked in a monotone.  
Lena paused. “I’m sorry, what?”  
Kara pulled a framed photo off the wall and held it out to her. It was a photo of Alex and Kara as teenagers with Hank at the beach.  
Kara pointed to the man. “Hank Henshaw. Did you kill him?”  
Was it her imagination, or was there a flash of recognition in Lena’s eyes? If she still had doubts, they were banished when Lena pulled a pistol with a long silencer from her waistband and aimed it at her.  
Kara took a deep breath and began to close the space between them. “Lena Luthor, I’m arresting you for murder - “  
“Don’t do this.” Lena warned and flicked off the safety.  
“You do not have to say anything without an attorney - “  
“Don’t think I won’t shoot you.”  
“I know you won’t.” Kara replied with more confidence than she felt. They were now inches apart, the muzzle was pressed under her chin. She cupped Lena’s cheek and kissed her.  
The gun lowered slowly and dropped to the floor with a clatter. Lena pulled her close so their hips were pressed together. The kiss deepened. Kara allowed herself to be carried away by it for a moment, then fastened a handcuff link around Lena’s other wrist.  
They broke apart and Lena smiled sadly. “This isn’t going to go the way you want.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a whole thing and ended up not liking it so there’ll be some reworks for the next part. Whoops.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get extra messy when a bounty is put on Lena, and the Danvers sisters find they have a new boss who is very different from the old one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I re-wrote the next parts like, three times and then got distracted writing a different (less serious) oneshot.

Lena sat calmly in the interview room staring at her hands.  
“Well you got her,” Alex said to Kara, watching their perp from the other side of a two-way mirror, “Now what?”  
“We get her talking I guess,” Kara shrugged, and began mentally preparing herself to grill the woman for whom she had very conflicting feelings.  
Agent Smythe approached them before they could begin the interrogation, “The new boss wants you.”  
“We’ll go after we interview this suspect.” Alex replied impatiently.  
Smythe rolled her eyes. “She said: ‘Tell them to stop fucking around and report to my office immediately,’ but I’m sure later will be fine.”  
With one final glance at Lena, the Danvers’s made their way to what Kara still thought of as Hank’s office.  
Alex was fuming. “Smythe is such a c - “  
“Hey now, she just doing her job.”  
“I was going to say ‘cow’!” Alex protested  
They bickered good naturedly until, standing outside Hank’s door, and Alex fell silent. Hank's name had been removed from the frosted glass pane already.  
Kara reached past her and knocked.  
“Enter.”  
A severe woman in her fifties regarded them sternly. “Agent Danvers, and - “ she consulted her computer screen. “ - Agent Danvers.”  
“Yes ma’am.” Kara replied.  
“Deputy Director Rhea.” She propped her elbows on the desk and steepled her fingers. “Exemplary records for the both of you - with only two years out of training. Hank had you, Alex Danvers, earmarked for promotion when a spot became free.”  
Alex shot a puzzled glance at Kara. “Thank you, Deputy Director.”  
“Now. Care to fill me in on the woman you have in custody?”  
“We’ve caught Hank Henshaw’s killer, Deputy Director.” She answered with a note of triumph in her voice.  
Rhea’s smile in response didn’t reach her eyes. “Go on."  
“We also believe she’s responsible for at least three other murders, and have evidence linking her to - “  
Rhea raised her hand to cut Alex off. “I've looked over your ‘evidence’, it is circumstantial at best. Not to mention supremely disrespectful, given Henshaw’s death has been ruled a suicide, release her with our most strenuous apologies.”  
"What about the dead woman in her apartment?" Alex demanded.  
Rhea regarded her impassively. "What dead woman?"  
Kara stared at her, rendered speechless by shock.  
Alex exploded.

Lena tapped her right foot vigorously in an effort to stay awake. She was so tired, and her broken nose throbbed like a second heartbeat.  
The door to the interview room was opened and an unfamiliar woman entered. “So sorry for the inconvenience Ms. Thorul, you’re free to go.” She said smoothly and extended her hand for Lena to shake it. “Deputy Director Rhea. Rest assured the agents responsible for detaining you will be heavily disciplined.”  
“That won’t be necessary.” Lena replied carefully.  
She was escorted through the building and out into the lobby where the Deputy Director shook her hand once more, and leaned in close. “Please inform the board they have nothing to worry about,” She stepped back and the doors were opened for Lena to take her leave.  
Before she could exit however, a woman at the reception desk called to them. “Ms Thorul? I have a call for you.”  
Rhea allowed Lena privacy by gesturing for the reception officers to speak with her at the other end of the room. With a furtive glance to ensure nobody was listening, Lena held the phone to her ear.  
“Lena?” The voice on the other end sounded relieved, “Are you okay?”  
“Thanks for swinging my release, Sam.”  
“It’s the least I could do, but you have to be careful - the Chairman ordered a bounty be placed on you after you...what happened to Psi.”  
Lena groaned. “Who took it?” She didn't need to be dodging some low rent killer on top of everything else.  
Sam was silent for a moment, then muttered, “Black Canary.”  
Lena’s irritation swiftly turned to fear. “Shit.”  
“I’m so sorry.”  
“It’s not your fault, thank you for the heads up.”  
It seemed to Lena that Sam wanted to say more, but chose not to. “Be careful.” The line went dead.  
Lena nodded to the Deputy Director and left the field office.  
Once on the street she walked quickly, anxiously scanning the crowd; Luckily afternoon commuters flowed around her, forming a protective blanket to shield her from unseen watchers. If the Canary knew she’d been detained, camping outside the CIA field office would be the easiest place to catch her.  
A man walking beside her collapsed with a shout of pain.  
The head of a woman behind him appeared to explode in a fine mist of blood. Lena’s heart leapt in her throat and she began to run. More gun shots followed her, one finding its mark in her shoulder as she rounded a corner. She frantically sprinted down an alley, vaulted over a row of skip bins and hailed a taxi, ducking low in the back seat after closing the door.  
There was a thunk as another bullet embedded itself in the door.  
“Drive!” She shouted.  
“Where to?” The driver asked casually, he hadn’t heard the impact of the gunshot.  
Lena’s mind raced for somewhere she could go where the Canary couldn’t possibly find her. With a grimace, she gave the driver an address where she would assuredly be safe - from assassination at least.

“You probably shouldn’t have called her an ‘old bitch’,” Kara said ruefully, lying on the sofa in Alex and Maggie’s apartment with her legs hanging off one of the arms.  
“You’re one to talk,” Alex scoffed from the kitchen, “‘I will not sit idly by while one of America’s finest institutions becomes a corporate lapdog’.” She said in a fair impression of Kara. “You basically accused that old bitch Rhea of treason.”  
“I guess we both earned our suspensions then.” Kara conceded. “What do we do now?”  
“Nothing we can do.” Alex passed Kara a glass of wine and moved her feet so she could sit on the other end of the sofa. “I'm picking Maggie up in an hour, then we're driving to Midvale to tell Mom - are you sure you didn't want to come?”  
“I don’t think I can face it.” Kara sighed.  
Alex wrapped her arms around Kara’s legs. “I understand. Have you heard from Mon El?”  
“He called me to yell about giving our address to mistresses, I think Lena must have told him we were...that we'd been together” Kara replied grumpily.  
“At least he’s not dead, I guess.”  
Alex was leaving for Midvale a short time later. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"  
Kara embraced her tightly. “I will, tell Mom I'm sorry.”  
It felt like only seconds had passed since Alex had left, before there was a soft knock at the door.  
“Did you forget your - ” The last person she expected was waiting in the hall. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”  
Lena assumed a sheepish expression. “Hi.”  
Kara tried to slam door but Lena had placed her foot in the way. “Please, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”  
“I got suspended thanks to you!” Kara was quivering with anger.  
“I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry that happened.” Lena said quietly, then added, after taking in Kara’s expression; “This was actually a bad idea. I’ll go.”  
Kara’s eyes were drawn to a steady flow of red liquid dripping from Lena’s sleeve. “Is that blood? Jesus Lena, just...get inside.”  
Lena visibly sagged with relief and allowed Kara to guide her to a chair. Her jacket was glued to her shoulder with dried blood, and in the end Kara cut it free, wincing with every snip while Lena watched her impassively.  
She inspected the wound which went through one side of her upper arm and out the other. “I think the bullet passed through cleanly, but you’re going to need stitches.”  
“I hesitate to ask you this but - “  
Kara glowered at her. “I’ve got the training to be able to sew you up, but explain to me why I shouldn’t just call an ambulance and leave you outside.”  
Lena exhaled slowly before answering. “Have you heard of the Black Canary?”  
"The super assassin?"  
Lena nodded and slouched in her chair wearily. “She’s picked up the contract Luthorcorp put out on me.”  
Kara crossed her arms. “Maybe you deserve it.”  
Lena shrugged with her good shoulder. “Maybe I do.”  
Kara relented as she’d known she would as soon as she’d opened the door. Lena was worryingly pale afterall, and blood still poured from the wound.  
She fetched the first aid kit from the bathroom and sterilized a needle over the stove. Lena didn’t flinch while she worked, only watched her with a solemn expression. Despite everything, her gaze was nervewracking to the point of distraction for Kara, and her stitching wasn’t as conscientious as it should have been.  
After what felt like hours, she finally wrapped a bandage around the crooked stitches, pulling the bullet holes into puckered red lines. “All done.”  
Lena made to grip her hand in gratitude but appeared to think better of it. “Thank you.”  
Kara blushed and kept her back to Lena while she washed up in the kitchen sink.  
By the time she’d finished, Lena’s head was lolling to one side and her eyes were closed. Kara could see her pulse flickering in her throat, but reached over tentatively to cup her cheek.  
Her eyes flew open, causing Kara to jerk her had away.  
“Sorry, I must’ve drifted off.”  
Kara cleared her throat. “You can sleep in my bed. I'll take the couch.”  
Lena nodded and staggered to the room Kara indicated. She turned on the threshold before closing the door. “I’m sorry about your friend.”  
Kara’s hands balled into fists. “That means absolutely nothing coming from you.”  
“I didn’t know he was important to you,” Lena sighed. “I never know much about my targets.”  
Kara took a step towards her. “You just murder them, and never think of their loved ones until it affects you?”  
“How many people have you killed?” Lena retorted.  
“Anyone I’ve had to shoot has been in the line of duty, protecting our country - “  
Lena scoffed. “I’m sure that helps you sleep at night.”  
“ - Whereas you murder for a shady multinational conglomerate!” Karashouted.  
“I think you’ll find if you go high enough up the chain of command, you work for them too.” Lena replied softly.  
Kara glared at her in disgust and turned away.  
Lena quietly closed the bedroom door and sat on the bed. “Nice work,” She muttered to herself.

Kara tried to watch television, then turned it off. She poured herself another glass of wine, finished it, then poured another.  
Strangely the bottle was suddenly empty . She shook the last few drops into her glass and drained it. Emboldened by the wine, she decided to check on Lena, and wobbled to her bedroom.  
Thankfully Lena was sleeping soundly, her breathing soft and even. It took effort for Kara not to reach out and touch her. To wrap arms around her and hold her close.  
It took considerable effort to hold onto her anger over Hank.  
She stared at Lena’s face instead; her lips slightly parted, still beautiful despite the broken nose.  
“Why won’t you let me hate you?” She whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're coming to the proper end I think, possibly one more chapter unless it blows out. Thanks for all the amazing feedback as usual!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Lena and Kara join forces to hunt the assassin after Lena

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I wrote a whole thing, then hated it and started again. Anyway, here it is! I hope you find it a satisfying conclusion. It took a while to work out how I wanted to end it, but I eventually decided to dispense with realism and slather on the romance. 
> 
> Cw for mention of Lex’s death.

Kara’s mouth was dry and sour when she awoke on the sofa the next morning, two empty bottles of wine on the kitchen counter went some way to explaining her discomfort. She recalled the previous evening’s heated argument with Lena, and the later, far drunker admission to herself that had the order come from Hank to shoot someone, she likely would not have questioned it. Staring at the ceiling Lena’s quiet statement about their allegiances echoed in her mind: "...If you go high enough up the chain of command, you work for them too."  
There was a rustling from her bedroom, then the door was softly opened. Kara struggled into a sitting position as Lena appeared. Her nose appeared to be less swollen beneath the plaster, and the bruising had faded somewhat from around her eyes. She was breathtaking even first thing in the morning. Kara found it hard to think rationally as they regarded one another form across the room.  
"I-" Kara began as Lena also parted her lips to speak. Kara laughed. "Sorry, go ahead."  
"I just wanted to apologise. I was way out of line yesterday, and I really appreciate everything you've done to help even though I..." Lena cleared her throat and sat beside Kara on the sofa. "You know, killed your friend and got you fired."  
"Suspended." Kara corrected with a small smile. She couldn't seem to muster the outrage from yesterday at all - her mind swam with everything she wanted to say in response but she settled for a soft, "Thank you."  
They were silent for a long time, each wrapped in their own thoughts. Kara held herself perfectly still while her rational brain attempted to reassert itself with reminders of all the terrible things Lena had done; a more primal part just wanted to hold her down and kiss her passionately.  
“I should check your stitches." She said gruffly  
Lena nodded, then stood and removed her shirt. She pulled out one of the stools at the breakfast bar and sat while Kara gently probed first the front, then rear of the wound through her arm.  
"They seem to be okay..." she muttered, “No burning sensation?"  
Lena shook her head.  
Kara applied fresh dressings and wrapped a bandage over them. Once finished, she rested her fingers lightly on the bare skin between Lena's shoulder blades. She shook herself and withdrew abruptly, moving to the kitchen so the counter was between them. She was able to think more clearly while preparing a pot of coffee. "I guess we should sort out your bounty problem."  
Lena pulled her shirt back over her head and raised a questioning eyebrow. "'We'?"  
"My schedule is pretty empty at the moment." Kara replied with a grin, “I can probably spare the time.”  
"I suppose the first step is to get the Canary off my back."  
"You don't mean...kill her?"  
Lena shook her head. "I shouldn’t need to, we go back a long way. If I could find a way to talk to her I think she'd be open to a counter offer."  
Relief flooded Kara. It was one thing to help Lena in illegal activities but quite another to be complicit in a murder.  
"Of course, I'll need to kill the Chair of the Board after the Canary is taken care of," Lena added as an apparent afterthought.  
Kara gasped. "Lena, you can't!”  
"If I don't she'll just send someone else. you don't know Lillian." Lena said quietly.  
"Lillian?” It took Kara a moment to remember where she’d heard that name. “The chair is your mother?" She exclaimed, "You cannot be considering this! There has to be another way - "  
"There isn't." Lena’s expression was so coldly furious Kara took a step back involuntarily. Lena seemed to come back to herself with a shudder. "Trust me Kara, if anyone deserves death it's Lillian."  
Kara pressed the palms of her hands into her eye sockets. Was she really considering this? unbidden, an image of Lena crumpling to the floor with a bullet through her temple like Hank formed in her mind. "I...I'll help you clear the contract, but I won't have anything to do with murder."  
"I understand." Lena replied solemnly.  
Kara placed a mug of coffee beside her arm with a decisive nod. "Okay, where do we start?"  
"Do you have a computer I can use?"  
Kara pulled her laptop from it's satchel and passed it to Lena, who flicked through browser pages so quickly Kara couldn't follow to where she was navigating. "Just downloading an encrypted browser," Lena explained while a file insalled, "We're going to need a little help."  
Kara watched curiously over her shoulder. "Is that the dark web?"  
Lena nodded. "There's a community of hackers I like to use." She opened a chat server and began to type rapidly. "Let's hope we find one who takes cash..."  
"What do you mean?"  
"It's kind of a barter system. Some hackers will only take payment in information, others accept less...savory forms of payment." Lena tapped a final key with a flourish. "Shouldn't be too long."  
Despite Lena’s optimism it was a full half hour of anxious waiting before anyone replied. Kara spent much of that time staring at Lena from the corner of her eye, or while pretending to look at something else. "Does it usually take this long?"  
Lena shook her head. "I guess nobody wants to go up against the infamous Black Canary."  
Eventually a private chat window with a user named 'Guardian' flashed open.

GUARDIAN: What can you trade? Info only.

"Shit." Lena muttered. “I guess we keep waiting.”  
Kara hesitated, then said, "Tell them you have the generic credentials for CIA sysadmin."  
Lena turned to her with an incredulous expression. "Kara, you don't have to do that. You don’t know who this ‘Guardian’ will sell it on to. It's basically treason.”  
Kara returned Lena’s look, her heart thundering. "I know. Just...say it before I change my mind."  
Lena typed out the response as instructed. Guardian responded almost immediately with a zip file for her to download. She skimmed the documents inside with a sharp intake of breath. "This is everything. Bank transactions, phone records, GPS coordinates, Literally everything."  
"Can we use it to find her?"  
"With this we could even find her dog."  
Kara resolutely turned the laptop toward her and typed out the information she'd promised in return. Her finger hovered over the send button. She glanced once more at Lena then pressed it decisively.  
"You still didn't need to do that." Lena said softly.  
Kara snorted. "You still waited til I'd done it to say anything."  
"Of course - I want to live." Lena grinned, "what I’m trying to do is say thank you."  
"You're welcome." Kara replied primly.  
It was short work for Lena to isolate the Canary’s likely base of operations in National City with all the data they were given, which turned out to be a boutique hotel uptown.  
"Do you think you can get us in?" Lena asked Kara as they loitered in an alley opposite the small building.  
Kara straightened her shoulders and nodded.  
They crossed the street and approached the reception desk. One flash of Kara’s badge was enough to have them escorted directly to the rooms the Canary had booked under a pesudomyn, with assurances from the hotel manager of complete discretion.  
Kara's hands were clammy with sweat; Her heart was beating at a million beats per minute. In short, it was the most exhilarating experience of her life. "I should have brought my gun..." She muttered as they surveyed the empty room.  
"Probably best you didn’t, would you really want your service weapon connected to an illegal datamine on a world renowned assassin?" Lena replied over her shoulder while pulling open cupboards in the kitchenette. "Besides - Sara'll have left one or two somewhere, we just have to be careful she hasn’t also left a nasty surprise."  
She carefully opened the wardrobe and gave the reinforced suitcase on the floor inside a gentle kick. Satisfied it was free of booby traps, She pulled a bobby-pin from her pocket and began to pick the lock while Kara watched in a swoon.  
Lena felt her intense gaze and paused. "What?"  
Kara blushed. "Nothing."  
Lena’s throaty laugh in response didn't help the attraction racing through her body. There was a click and Lena threw the padlock aside. she carefully lifted the lid of the suitcase and pulled out a large assault rife. "That'll do nicely."  
Kara sat gingerly on the edge of the bed while Lena scanned the street below from the window, the rifle propped against one hip. The nonchalant confidence she exuded in the face of danger was intoxicating.  
"You didn't do much counter-surveillance with the CIA?" she asked idly, eyes still scanning the street.  
Kara tore her eyes from the curve of Lena’s breasts with a start. "Not really, I never got the appeal."  
Lena pulled the blinds closed and moved to sit beside Kara on the duvet. "And now? How do you feel about it?"  
Kara considered for a moment. "Apart from terrified and wanting to throw up? I feel pretty good."  
"I’m glad." Lena laughed. "We make a pretty good team you know."  
"I guess we do.”  
They fell silent. Kara almost placed her hand on Lena’s thigh a thousand times.  
"This is probably out of line, you don't have to answer if you don't want to - " Lena said softly. "Is there a chance for us?"  
Kara's stomach erupted with butterflies. "I don't know..." She touched Lena’s cheek with her fingertips. "But I've never felt this way about anyone."  
Lena leaned closer. “Me neither.”  
The kiss which followed felt inevitable, Preordained. It was slow, and soft, and Kara didn’t know how she’d been able to keep away for so long. She felt a hand cup the name of her neck while the other pressed against her back. It felt like every fiber of her being was straining towards this woman - this person who had systematically dismantled her life, yet still captivated her.  
There was a click from the landing. In one fluid movement Lena rolled from the bed with the rifle, leaving Kara frozen in shock in full view.  
A handsome blonde woman strode into the room and gave a start when she saw Kara as the door closed behind her. The distraction proved to be enough, as before she could pull a weapon Lena cocked her rifle and trained it on the other assassin, still crouched on the floor. "Hello Sara."  
The Canary slowly raised her hands. "Lena! I've been looking for you everywhere." She appeared totally unphased.  
Lena stood gracefully and coralled The Canary to the only chair in the suite. Kara adjusted her clothing - aware of the assassin’s speculative gaze - and moved behind Lena.  
The woman's long blonde hair was loose around her shoulders, perhaps a shade lighter than Kara’s, a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose did little to detract from the impression she was ready to spring at any momen.  
"Well, you found me." Lena tilted her head to the side. "It been a while, where were we?"  
The Canary thought for a moment. "Berlin. You threw up on the mark, remember?"  
"You shouldn't have let me do all those shots." Lena laughed.  
The Canary smiled and Kara felt Lena’s shoulders relax slightly under her hand, she lowered the gun so it pointed to the floor and leaned against the windowsill beside her. "I don't want to take up anymore of your time, so I'll get down to business: I want to buy out the contract you have for me."  
The Canary’s brow furrowed slightly. "Why?"  
"I don't really want to die," Lena gingerly moved her injured shoulder. "You reminded me of my own mortality yesterday."  
The Canary, Sara, pouted thoughtfully. "It won't be cheap, switching like this will damage my reputation for a while." she said after an excrutiating pause.  
"Name your price."  
Sara watched her beneath hooded eyes for a moment. "Three mill."  
"Done." Lena shot back immediately. "I'll wire it right now if I can borrow your phone."  
Sara slowly withdrew her phone from her pocket and threw it to Lena, who passed the rifle to Kara so she could use both her hands. Sara watched them with a bemused expression while the payment was processed.  
Lena threw the phone back to Sara, who confirmed the transaction with a nod.  
"Give me twenty four hours before you tell them I bought you out?"  
"Only because I like you." Sara replied with a languid smile as they shook hands firmly.  
"We'll leave you to it then." Lena glanced at Kara and they began to walk towards the door.  
"Hey Lena?” Sara called after them, "It would've been cheaper to kill me."  
Lena looked once more at Kara. "I'm...trying a different appoach."  
Once out in the corridor Kara slid down the wall with a relieved sigh. "Well that was terrifying. Like, ‘being in a cage with a tiger’ levels of terrifying."  
"She's a big softie really." Lena chuckled while she dropped the rifle in the garbage chute. She then took Kara’s hand and pulled her close.  
"Can we go home now?" Kara murmured, reveling in the places their bodies touched.  
Lena left her with one light kiss and pulled her by the hand towards the stairs. "Definitely.”

Kara spent an inordinate amount of time inspecting Lena’s face while she slept the next morning; her black eyes had faded ocmpletely, leaving only the plaster to indicate any mishaps had befallen her nose. Kara found it endearing personally, a blemish that gave her a sort of rogueish appearance.  
Her good humor slipped a little - what would Alex say if she knew Lena had stayed here? That they’d spent the night together? This was possibly the worst decision she'd ever made - but, when she considered the alternatives, she wouldn't change it for anything.  
She stubbornly pushed the thought of Alex away and slipped from the bed, then pulled on a dressing gown and padded softly to the kitchen to make coffee.  
A short time later Lena emerged with a wide yawn, completely naked and unphased by this fact. She smiled appreciatively when Kara passed her a mug. "You're incredible."  
"It's just instant," Kara laughed.  
"I have a soft spot for instant, it reminds me of stake-outs." She took a sip and placed the cup on the counter in order to wrap her good arm around Kara’s waist and leaned forward to kiss her. Kara stilled her with a finger pressed against her lips.  
"What happens after this is over?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, do you go back to assassination? "  
"No. Definitely not that." Lena replied seriously. "I was thinking...I have a lot of money, enough for me - for us - to start a new life somewhere if you want."  
Kara’s mind reeled. Could she leave everything, everyone, everything for this woman? It was an intoxicating thought.  
"You aren't really going to kill your mother though, are you?"  
Mirth left Lena’s expression. "I have to. And after what she did to Lex a quick death is more than she deserves."  
Lena hadn’t mentioned her brother very much, Kara was curious enough to probe gently. "What happened to Lex?"  
"She pushed him so hard. His every action was to earn her approval until he...crashed his car into a pylon. The investigators say there’s no way it was an accident, he’d floored the gas the whole way."  
"Oh Lena, I'm so sorry."  
Lena tossed her head dismissively. "Don’t be. It was a long time ago now." She caught Kara around the waist once more And nuzzled her neck.  
Kara allowed herself to be guided until her back was against the counter while Lena pulled the cord of her dressing gown and slipped her hand beneath it; Warm fingers trailed across her stomach and traveled down her thigh.  
Then the front door opened. Kara's heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach as Alex and Maggie walked in and everyonep froze.  
Alex and Maggie stared, slack-jawed with shock. Lena felt tense in Kara’s arms, as though ready to fight or escape at any moment - all the while completely naked.  
Maggie whipped her service weapon from it's holster and trained it on Lena while Kara hurriedly retied her dressing gown and placed herself between the gun and her lover, raising her hands. Her brain frantically searched for some way to diffuse the situation. "Uh...how was Midvale?"  
Lena shifted behind her.  
"Don't fucking move." Maggie snarled.  
"Woah! Shit Maggie, calm down!" Kara shouted desperately. "Can we all just chill?"  
"Kara," Alex closed her eyes in exasperation. "Why is there a nude serial killer in my home?"  
"Oh..." Kara thought for a moment, then came up empty. She shrugged with a wry grin.  
Alex snorted and lowered Maggie’s gun with her hand.  
Kara gave Lena a significant glance then returned her attention to the others. “Lena won’t hurt you, let’s all just...calm down.”  
"You really take 'going for the bad girl' to the next level." Alex huffed irritably, but the atmosphere lightened slightly.  
Lena cleared her throat. "I'll just get dressed, shall I?"  
Alex and Maggie exchanged a look and Alex shrugged.   
As soon as Kara's bedroom door closed Alex threw her bag on the floor and stalked towards Kara, who took an involuntary step back.  
“What the hell are you thinking? That...that woman killed our friend - I just spent two days trying to get Mom to stop crying!" Alex ran a hand through her short hair frustratedly. "She’s killed more people than I have friends, and to top it all off, she got us suspended!”  
Maggie meanwhile, watched the closed door with her gun still drawn.  
Kara’s insides writhed with shame. She recounted all that had happened in the last day and-a-half, with increasing speed as Alex and Maggie's expressions grew more incredulous. Confronted with her choices they didn't seem as rational as they had at the time. "I'm so sorry." She finished dully.  
Alex pulled her into a gruff embrace. "Idiot, I should have known your taste in women would be as bad as your taste in men."  
“I can’t help it Alex, I love her.” Kara whispered.  
"She's been in there an awful long time," Maggie commented once the sisters separated.  
Kara knocked quietly on the door. "She has a bullet wound, I'll just make sure she’s okay - " The room was empty. Curtains billowed in front of the open window. Kara found a message written with lipstick on the mirror hanging from the back of the door:

Sorry  
I love you  
Lena.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Kara practically ran to her laptop and feverishly opened the Canary's transaction records while Alex and Maggie exchanged a perplexed glance.  
"Kara, what's going on?"  
"If I can find the payment Lillian made to the Canary, I can find where she is! "  
Alex gripped her by the shoulder. "You're not thinking clearly, we can just get Maggie to call in for the address - "  
Kara wasn't listening. She copied down details from a transaction which potentially matched a downpayment for the contract and connected to the CIA Virtual Private Network to find the owner of the account. A moment later, she stared at the result of the search uncomprehendingly. “What the hell?”  
Alex frowned, reading over her shoulder. "That's not Lillian Luthor."

Lena stood in front of her childhood home a short time later, a giant Brownstone surrounded by a spiked iron fence and patrolled by armed security.  
The gate buzzed, admitting her before she pressed the intercom.  
Memories clouded her thoughts as she walked slowly up the gravel driveway.  
She was a girl of ten, dawdling home after receiving a B in an exam.  
She was fifteen, sneaking back in after a liaison with her first girlfriend.  
She was twenty. Returning from Lex's funeral. alone in the car with her mother, who gave her only stony recriminating silence.  
She noted the security guards as she entered the house itself. She really should have began visiting Lillian in the weeks leading up to the hit so she was a known quantity. As it was, the guards eyed her suspiciously despite her meek demeanour - It was going to be a tough extraction.  
She was frisked lightly by the security team, and trod the familiar path up the staircase to the study - a mahogany and velvet room full of books and wood panels. Heavy red curtains covered the windows and the space was dominated by a large desk where a woman just past middle years was typing laboriously at a laptop computer with glasses perched on the end of her nose.  
"Lena darling, what's happened to you?" Lillian exclaimed with concern which didn't reach her eyes.  
"Nothing I can't handle Mother," Lena's smile in response was vicious. If Lillian was going to feign ignorance, she could play along just as well.  
"You could stand to take better care of yourself dear, after that awful business with Psi I must have tried to call you one hundred times."  
"I lost my phone." Lena helped herself to a whiskey from a crystal decanter on the sidebord.  
"And where have you been since? You know the protocol, after being arrested you need to be debriefed.” Lillian admonished gently. “We could find hide, nor hair of you." She closed her laptop with a decisive click and stood up from behind her desk.  
Lena threw back the contents of her glass in one toss and poured another. She could feel the knife she'd swiped from Kara’s sister's apartment pressed against the small of her back.  
Lillian moved closer and Lena’s fingers twitched reflexively. "Now that you're here, we need to discuss your future."  
Lena stared at her suspiciously. "What do you mean?"  
Her mother waved a hand languidly "With the CIA sniffing around we can't have you on active duty, as it were. A Board position will be freed up - which I suggest you accept. It’ll be very good for your career darling."  
Lena stared at her uncomprehendingly. "If this was your plan all along, why did you order a hit on me?"  
Sounds of a commotion in the hall interrupted Lillian before she could respond. In a fluid movement, Lena stepped around her mother and grabbed her in a chokehold, the knife pressed against her carotid artery as the door flew open with a bang.  
"Don't fucking - Kara?"  
Kara entered the room cautiously and raised her hands in a placatory gesture as she kicked the door closed behind her. "Lena, don't do this."  
Lillian was stiff as a board in her arms. "Listen to your friend darling." Her voice had taken on an ominous tone.  
"If I don't stop her, she'll just send someone else!" Lena attempted to remain calm as she pressed the blade against her mother’s throat. Strangely her hand tremoured.  
"I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lillian managed through gritted teeth. “Stop this nonsense at once and we will discuss this - “  
"Shut up!"  
Kara took another step towards them. "She didn't do it Lena, I was checking the Canary’s transaction history to try and find you - the payment came from someone else.”  
The tremor became more pronounced. "No! Sam told me it was the Chair. Why would she lie?"  
"I can't answer that." Kara was now a foot away. she slowly raised a hand and gripped Lena’s wrist. "We can work this out, I promise."  
The knife fell from her fingers and clattered on the floorboards. She brushed past Kara and pulled open the door to the assembled security team with their weapons drawn. She pushed through them and left the brownstone as quickly as she could. 

"Stand down." Lillian ordered the security team, while eyeing Kara with a considering expression. "It seems I owe you my life."  
"You won't hurt her, will you?"  
Lillian uttered a harsh laugh. "That willful child.” She pressed her fingers to her neck and inspected the blood from a small nick Lena had left her with. "I won't punish her for self preservation, after all - I've raised her since childhood for this. You wouldn't blame a dog trained to fight when it bites you on the hand."  
"She’s not a dog, she's your daughter." Kara replied coldly.  
"Of course." Lillian gestured dissmissively. She poured a large amount of brown spirit from a crystal decanter and swished the liquid around the glass. "Now. You will give me everything you have on whoever hired the assassin, and I will see you are rewarded accordingly."  
Kara crossed her arms. "The payment came from an account called ‘Project Reign’ - but I don't want your money.”  
Lillian’s smile was both condescending and pitying as she scribbled an email onto a scrap of paper and handed it to Kara. "Send it to this address."  
Kara turned to leave.  
"It won't work out you know," Lillian called after her idly. "Lena has been honed into a weapon. An uncaring, unfeeling, unrepentant machine - as much as she likes to pretend otherwise. I'd advise you to stay away for your own good."  
Kara balled her fists. "You're wrong.” Without another word she stalked from the house.

 

"What about becoming a private investigator? You could call your business: 'Danvers Investigates'."  
Kara pulled a face. "Are you just throwing out bad suggestions so I join Major Crimes?"  
Alex feigned offense with a hand pressed to her chest. "How dare you!"  
After their suspensions had been lifted, neither sister felt comfortable working for the CIA under Director Rhea. Alex had taken a job with the NCPD Major Crimes Unit and Kara wasn't sure what she wanted to do.  
"But now you mention it, are you sure you won't come to Major Crimes?" Alex cajoled for what felt like the hundredth time, "The head of the unit said there's a spot if you want it."  
Kara shook her head. She felt as though she needed a fresh start, away from the beauocracy and the grey areas of police work. Something meaningful. And anyway, Lena might still return to take her away - though that was starting to look unlikely. It had been three months since the stand-off at the Luthor restate and Lena had completely disappeared, even her apartment had been sold. Kara had heard Luthorcorp stock plummeted when the entire board was fired the previous month, but she hadn't been following the case too closely. It made her heart hurt.  
Intellectually she knew the separation was probably for the best. It was doubtful Alex would ever get over what Lena did to Hank, and besides: what would a normal life with Lena even look like? Definitely for the best, Kara told herself firmly. It had become something of a mantra.  
Alex seemed to intuit her thoughts and squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. "Hey. It'll get easier, especially when you aren't moping around your apartment all day. Think about the MCU okay?"  
Kara promised she would and made her way home.  
She gazed dully around her home empty of furnishings, having only purchased a futon since Mon El had moved out a few weeks earlier which currently doubled as both couch and bed. She opened a cooler sitting in the cabinet where the fridge used to be and pulled out a Chinese takeaway container. Water from a melted bag of ice diluted it's contents making a cold, cloudy noodle soup. She dropped the leaking container back in the cooler with a sigh.  
The intercom buzzed and she answered it absently.  
"Agent Kara Danvers? IAB. Can I come up?"  
Kara frowned but pressed the door release button. As far as she was aware 'IAB' was the Internal Affairs Beaueau, responsible for rooting out corruption on the police force. Had her crimes finally caught up with her? Truthfully she thought it would be something of a relief.  
The visitor was perhaps a head shorter than herself, with dark hair pulled back into a severe bun. Her suit was immaculate and understated makeup accentuated her dark eyes. "Major Lucy Lane." She extended her hand and Kara shook it, her handshake was firm, warm and dry.  
Kara stepped aside for her to enter the apartment and watched her take in the austere furnishings, then she turned to inspect Kara, who suddenly felt under-dressed grey sweatshirt and jeans.  
"I won't take up too much of your time Agent Danvers - "  
"It's just Kara now."  
Major Lane bowed her head slightly. "Right. Of course. Ms Danvers, as I mentioned, I'm department head for the Internal Affairs Bureau in National City. Are you familiar with what we do?"  
Kara nodded.  
The Major pulled a folder from her satchel. "I believe you'd make an ideal candidate for a Field Officer in my team. You're an unknown element in the police force, and from what I’ve heard you’re also highly skilled in surveilance and undercover techniques." She held the folder out for Kara.  
"I think you’ll find the compensation more than fair, there is an element of risk, as with all undercover work."  
Kara didn't even pause. “No thank you.”  
The Major slowly lowered her outstretched hand and placed the folder on the kitchen counter.  
"Take some time to think it over at least, my card is stapled to the first page.”  
Kara turned away without making a reply. She heard the Major clip towards the door and pause before opening it. "Off the record? We need principaled officers like you to protect the force against the rot spread by certain...unscrupulous elements. Your old Captain for example: Rhea, wasn't it?”  
Kara turned, curiosity piqued. "How do you know about that?"  
The Major flashed the first smile Kara had seen from her. "Join my team and you'll see."  
She watched Lane leave with mixed emotions, then flipped open the folder on the table and scanned it's contents. Maybe undercover work would do her good? A new life doing something meaningful.  
"I love what you've done with the place,"  
Kara whipped around, stomach erupting with butterflies to find Lena leaning nonchalantly against the door frame to her empty bedroom.  
Kara crossed her arms as joy turned swiftly to anger. "Where have you been?"  
"I...needed some time to sort myself out." When Kara remained grim-faced, Lena sighed and continued. "I'd been working myself up to klling Lillian, going through the catalogue of every bad thing she'd done to me and Lex, and thousands of other people. In my mind she deserved it and when you stopped me, I was...angry with you." She raised a hand to quiet Kara's indignant reply. "I know, it's irrational, but that's why I left. And then when I wasn't angry anymore, I thought maybe you'd be better off without me but...I wasn't better off without you." She wrinkled her nose. "It hindsight I guess it's selfish for me to even be here."  
"Are you kidding?" Kara gestured around her furiously. "This is me being 'better off' without you. Unemployed, eating wet Chinese takeout alone on a saggy futon!"  
"I'm sorry."  
"You say that a lot." Kara replied irritably.  
Lena closed the space between them in a few strides and took Kara’s hand between her own. "That's because I am. I love you Kara.”  
Kara took a moment to collect herself and raised her eyes to Lena's. "It's not going to be easy making this work."  
Lena smiled warmly. "I'll make it worth your while."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kind feedback along the way and again, sorry I kept you waiting so long for the end.  
> I’ve started a different law enforcement AU (because I love them) which I’ll upload in a bit.


End file.
